Kathmandu, June 30

Nepali boxer Manohar Basnet has received an invitation from Professional Boxing Organisation India to play for Punjab Sultans in the Super Boxing League.

The SBL is slated for July 7 to August 12 at the Siri Fort Stadium in New Delhi with eight teams vying for the glory. Each team will comprise of six players (five male boxers and one female boxer) with six back-up players. A team can have a maximum of three international boxers.

“Professional Boxing Organisation India provides you an opportunity to be a part of this league (SBL) and take your team to the new height,” said PBOI Secretary General Kunal Goyat in a letter sent to Basnet. “PBOI will arrange you a camp seven days before the league

apart from meal, medical care and personal training and fitness,” Goyat added.

Delhi Gladiators, Haryana Warriors, Punjab Sultans, UP Terminators, Mumbai Assassins, North East Tigers, Maratha Yoddhas and Bahubali Boxers are the eight franchise-based teams in the competition. The league round matches will be played from July 7-30, while the semi-finals are slated for August 5-6 and the final is on August 12.

Basnet said the opportunity was a dream-come-true for him. “I have been waiting for this for so many years. I had earned reputation during my stay in Mumbai and I am happy that PBOI Secretary General Goyat called me to inquire about my interest in the SBL,” said the Light-heavy Weight boxer Basnet, the organiser of the Champ of Champions, first-ever professional boxing tournament in Nepal.

“I know I will have to do a lot of hard works in India as the event features best fighters of the India and other countries,” said the national champion, who was part of professional wrestling — Ring ka King — aired by Colors channel four years ago.

Basnet, who has won a total of 21 national level titles in his 17-year career, said he wanted to win the title in India at any cost. “I don’t know how but I will have to win. I have lost so many times in my life and there are many people in boxing fraternity who want to see me lose. Now I think I have nothing to lose and I will put in my 100 per cent to take my team to the victory,” said Basnet.

“I want to become a bridge for Nepali boxers who want to pursue professional boxing in future,” he said. “My ultimate aim is to take a Nepali team to India for professional tournament,” the national champion added.

The 31-year-old Basnet had tried his hands in Indian boxing for three years and also won accolades. He was named Mumbai’s best player of the year in 2009 and was the Maharastra State champion in 2010 before he won the Inter-club championship two years later.

The Super Boxing League features competitions in six weight categories — Feather, Welter, Middle weight, Light-heavy and Heavy weight in men’s section and Flyweight in women’s section — with bouts of four rounds of three minutes.

The league is organised by British businessman Bill Dosanjh, also the founder and promoter of Super Fight League, while the Super Boxing League — with its tag line Hit Harder — is promoted by Olympic medallist and two-time world champion, British professional boxer

Amir Khan.