Bathinda: Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, who is popular for playing the golden-hearted gangster in the "Munnabhai" movies, was Friday appointed the brand ambassador for boxing of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF).

Making the announcement here in Dutt's presence, IABF president Abhey Singh Chautala said that boxing had recently brought laurels to the country in the Beijing Olympics and the sport needed a well-known brand ambassador to promote it further.

Dutt came here to witness the ongoing national boxing championship.

Indian boxer Vijender Kumar, who hails from Bhiwani town in neighbouring Haryana, won the country's first bronze medal in boxing in the Beijing Olympics.