British-Indian businessman Bill Dosanjh, who is all set to launch the Super Boxing League (SBL) in India along with pro-boxing star Amir Khan, said there are many talented boxers in the country and
with the league they intend to provide a middle ground for both the average everyday player and the professional boxer.
SBL, India's first professional boxing league, will be held in New Delhi from July 7 to August 12, 2017.
“We have witnessed the excitement and appetite for contact sports in India which has seen phenomenal growth in the past few years. Boxing is one such sport, which is encouraging professional players to make it big in the ring through international leagues,” he said. "India has a huge talent potential for boxing and with Super Boxing League, we intend to provide a middle ground for both the average everyday player and the professional boxer,” he added.
"A lot of aspiring athletes wish to go professional and they all just need the right platform. With Super Boxing League, we are looking to create an ecosystem to promote Indian boxing talent and bring back boxing to where we were—in the top-10 in the world or even top-five," he said.
The league will serve as a platform for athletes to practice boxing on a regular level.
"As we are a professional league, we really do not need any kind of approval of a national federation but we always felt it's good to walk along with like-minded people who are working towards the growth of a sport, he said.”Hence, we approached every organisation in India that's working towards the development of boxing and we have got positive feedback from the market. SBL is now being organised in association with World Boxing Council and Professional Boxing Organisation India, which is befitting for the pugilists.”
Dosanjh is also the founder and promoter of successful Super Fight League, which was held in January 2017 in New Delhi, India.
When asked about the much hyped fight between Amir Khan and Vijender Singh, Dosanjh said, "Well, certainly India is excited to witness this sort of ring action but I think it still needs some time. Vijender and Amir both belong to different weight categories, but yes, it would be an absolute pleasure to hold the much talked about fight.”
SBL is to feature eight franchises and each team will comprise six players—five men and one woman, including a maximum of three foreigners, with six back-up players. Each team is owned by a corporate honcho.
The teams have been named as Mumbai Assassins, Delhi Gladiators, Haryana Warriors, Sher-E-Punjab, UP Terminators, North East Tigers, Maratha Yoddhas and Southern Super Kings.
