Hyderabad|India|September'2010: Percept Limited, India’s leading media and entertainment conglomerate and Monnet Ispat and Energy Limited , a steel and energy major, have announced one of its kind joint venture to promote and popularize ‘Boxing’ in the country. Under this venture, India will witness first ever home grown Indoor Boxing Bouts called ‘Fight Night - Lagaan Cup’ between top Indian and English boxers such as Vijender Singh, Dinesh Kumar, Dilbagh Singh and Diwakar Prasad, Martin Stead, Liam Cameron and Hosea Burton of England. The first series will kick start in Hyderabad on Sept 12th at HICC followed by Pune on Sept 14th at Balewadi Sports Complex.

This joint venture will work closely with the national sports body, Indian Boxing Federation. The joint venture will have first of its kind partnership between two respective leaders in contrasting fields coming together to promote a sport. The company will promote bilateral boxing tournaments between India and other countries as well as host of events across malls, public areas, and road shows through slums, talent promotion and most importantly work on grassroots development of the sport.

Talking about this exclusive venture, Shailendra Singh, Joint Managing Director, Percept India said, “India so far has been considered as a one sport nation and cricket truly has been a remarkable success story. However I have always strongly felt that boxing has the potential to be the number two sport in India. Fight Night as a product is our idea to change the face of Indian boxing including a solid grassroots programme, taking the sport to the masses and hence growing it from ground up. We are confident that once the Indian people come out there and experience this well packaged sport and entertainment product, the future of the sport would be well secured.”

Adding to this, Sandeep Jajodia, Executive Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Monnet Ispat said, “In recent times boxing as a sport has come in the forefront with Indian boxers gaining recognition across national and international championships. Amateur boxing in particular has gained popularity in the last couple of years with the Indian boxers winning over 100 international medals. Today, India boasts of some of the World’s Top Boxers, who like cricketers are making waves in the sporting industry. The sport is slowly and steadily gaining importance and through this venture, we aim to further the overall experience and spirit of the game. We believe in this partnership and the sport and will work hard towards bringing success to Indian boxing.”

“Fight Nights – Lagaan Cup” will be an ideal mix of Sports, Entertainment & Glamour with a premium experience for the audience. It has been formatted as 90 minutes event with 4 exhibition boxing matches (3 rounds) between amateur boxers interspersed with entertainment performances. The Fights will follow international amateur boxing rules and will be approved by IBF. The Lagaan Cup would be an annual affair and would be followed shortly by other interesting match up’s not only between India and other countries but by interesting packaging around the sport which will grow the sport’s perception among the potential consumers out there.

Though this concept is very popular internationally and has a huge fan following. It is largely practiced in US and Europe, for the first time Indians will experience it in a very big way. The ‘Fight Night’ will be a rotating event and fight night exhibition bouts will take place in various places all over the country at regular intervals.

Monnet Ispat had also signed a path breaking deal of $ 1 million with Indian Boxing Federation to become a team and kit sponsor for the next three years. With this association Monnet becomes the only corporate & listed company to promote amateur boxing in the country. It’s a serious CSR attempt to adapt a sport by a leading corporate.

A 360 degree marketing campaign has been planned to promote ‘Fight Night – Lagaan Cup’. The tournament will be extensively promoted through feature films, television shows, live events and talent promotion. Apart from this, in a bid to make boxing & fight nights a common man’s sport and a family outing Percept will roll out interactive contests and on ground promotions. Monnet Ispat will be the main sponsors for the event and Star News will be the broadcast partner for the ‘Fight Night-Lagaan Cup.’

The event would be broadcast on Star News on September 12 at 10.30 pm as a deferred live telecast and the second leg of the Lagaan Cup would be telecast at the same time on September 14.

The event is supported by the World’s No 1 motorcycle company Hero Honda and India’s leading youth energy drink, XXX Energy Drink. The online partner to this venture is Cinecurry.