07 July,2017 08:30 AM IST | Mumbai | Sonil Dedhia
Co-owner of a squad in a new boxing league, Sushant Singh Rajput says there can't be a better way to stay connected with the sport he loves
Sushant Singh Rajput
Sushant Singh Rajput
Almost a decade ago, the Indian Premier League paved the way for the fusion of sports and entertainment. Bollywood stars took their love for sports forward, with industry heavyweights, including Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta, investing in cricket teams. Since then, the industry has often backed India's sporting dreams, be it kabaddi, football or hockey.
The latest addition to the list of actors owning sports teams is Sushant Singh Rajput. The actor has bought a stake in Delhi Gladiators, a team in the Super Boxing League. Talking about his involvement, Rajput says, "I have always loved boxing and have been a big fan of Sylvester Stallone's Rocky series. I couldn't think of a better way to be associated with the sport that I love. I'm really excited about my new venture."
With this move, Rajput has joined the likes of Suniel Shetty, Rana Daggubati, Randeep Hooda and Sohail Khan, who also co-own teams in the tournament. The boxing league, which kick-starts today, will have eight teams with top men and women pugilists from India and abroad fighting it out for the honour.
Ask him how he plans to juggle the responsibilities of owning a team with his acting commitments and he says, "I hardly sleep for two to three hours a day. So, that leaves me with a lot of time. I am planning to be completely involved with my team." With many of his colleagues being co-owners of other teams in the boxing tournament, Rajput is well-aware that there will be a sense of competition among them. "I'd want my team to perform the best. Having said that, we are all great friends and we won't be throwing punches at each other at the after-parties."
