Dutt promises boxing gold in 2012

Bathinda (Punjab):

Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt, who has been roped in as the brand ambassador of Indian boxing, on Friday promised to do all he can to ensure a gold medal for the country in the sport in the 2012 London Olympics.

The Munnabhai star greeted a packed sports stadium here with a Bole toh kya haal hai? sending the sizeable crowd that had came to witness the finals of the National Championships into wild applause.

Dutt said he understood the enormity of the responsibility put on him.

"I have been made brand ambassador of the Indian boxing and I understand that it is a huge responsibility put on me. I promise that in London we will better Beijing's bronze to win the gold," Dutt said referring to middleweight pugilist Vijender Singh's bronze medal at the just-concluded Beijing Olympics.

Vijender and Beijing quarterfinalists Akhil Kumar and Jitender Kumar hailed Dutt's appointment, saying Dutt as brand ambassador would help make boxing popular.

"It is a good decision. His appointment would help the Indian boxing's cause. I am fan of his and came here only to see him," Vijender said.

Akhil echoed the view and said Dutt's star status would draw a lot fans towards the sport. "He is a machoman and his stature and a powersport like boxing go well," he said.

However, Dutt's role as ambassador is yet to be finalised.

"All this will be worked out later by our President Abhey Singh Chautala. How his name would be used is still in the process of being worked out," Indian Boxing Federation secretary general PK Muralidharan Raja said.