EXCLUSIVEGeneral Hospital and Melrose Place star Antonio Sabato Jr lost his career supporting Donald Trump
- The former model said Republicans and Democrats 'only stand for themselves'
- Sabato said he wants to 'bring back entertainment' into the boxing ring
- The actor said he has been sober and has moved on from politics
A once popular TV star and model has revealed how he was 'blackballed' from Hollywood for supporting Donald Trump's first presidential campaign.
Actor and model Antonio Sabato Jr is plotting a comeback - but this time inside the boxing ring.
In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, the former Melrose Place and General Hospital heartthrob revealed he has signed with owners of Celebrity Boxing and hopes to get in the ring against pros like Floyd Mayweather or Conor McGregor.
The now 52-year-old said he has gone through 'a lot of growing' since he said he was ostracized by the 'Hollywood elite' after he endorsed Trump's first campaign.
Sabato was widely criticized after a controversial speech he made at the Republican National Convention in 2016, saying Barack Obama was not a Christian, but a Muslim 'on the bad side'.
The actor said he was blackballed by 'the Hollywood elite' ever since he supported Donald Trump at the 2016 RNC, which was held at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio
Sabato said he was dropped by his agents right after his RNC appearance and the projects he had lined up disappeared.
He said he's struggled for years, but things are 'getting better'.
'If you disagree with the power of Hollywood about major key points in our country, it could get very dangerous,' the actor said. 'I think it's going to be like that for the rest of my life.
But whether you disagree with me or not, you have to give some respect for someone who stand up to the bully.
'They tried to blackball me and to make sure I never work in this town again, but I will continue to work and make my path.'
Sabato, who is best known for his roles in TV shows like Melrose Place and General Hospital, also has appeared in dozens of films and other shows, including as a contestant in Dancing With The Stars in 2014.
He even tried his hand at politics and ran for the 26th district Congressional seat in California against incumbent Democrat Sen. Julia Brownley in 2018.
However, his campaign took a big hit after his then estranged wife, Marie, filed for divorce and claimed the actor was abusing prescription benzodiazepines.
Sabato ended up placing second in the 2018 primary.
He said he went from starring in TV roles in Hollywood to driving construction equipment all over Florida, where he decided to move his family about seven years ago.
'Nobody was hiring me in the Hollywood world but I needed to make enough money to survive to take care of my family,' he said. 'I pulled up my sleeves, put my ego in check and did what I had to do.
Antonio Sabato Jr, with Heather Locklear on Melrose Place
Actor and model Antonio Sabato Jr. said he is eager to get in the boxing rink after he signed with Celebrity Boxing
Sabato was a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, but now the actor said he has distanced himself from the former president and both parties.
'I was going to job sites from midnight to six in the morning and then I would actually do the job like pouring concrete from the truck. I did it all.'
He said he's also come clean with his struggles with drugs and has been drug-free for the past eight years.
He credits his wife, Katia, their children and his strong faith for keeping him sober.
'Love is amazing and God is good,' Sabato said, who recently celebrate his seventh-year anniversary with his wife. 'I'm a recovering addict and I went through life and death. Now I'm in the best place in my life.
'My life has been very challenging and I want to share that journey with people to give them some hope. Maybe to lift them up and they can say, 'Wow, Antonio went through all this s--t, but now look at him!' That's what life is all about - having those moments that could change your perspective that helps get your life back on track.'
While the former model said he's left politics behind, he still has very strong criticisms for both Democrats and Republicans.
'I was a Democrat at one point then I became a Republican,' he said. 'I got to know both parties really well - the good and the bad - and now I know I want nothing to do with either parties since I am now an Independent.
Celebrity Boxing has gained popularity over the years. Antonio Sabato Jr. said he hopes to show his skills in the rink against a bona fide contender
Sabato took to social media and asked his fans who they would like to see him fight inside the boxing ring
'I think Biden is doing an awful job and the country is in terrible shape. Both parties are the problem because they are not helping people. They actually only stand for themselves and they could care less about the well-being of the people.'
While he no longer supports Trump or the Republican party, Sabato said the former president and now convicted felon was unfairly prosecuted.
'With all the real crime that politicians have done, they want to focus on something that had nothing to do with Trump being president. The country is not doing well but we have another shot at changing things around.'
Celebrity Boxing founder and CEO Damon Feldman said he has followed Antonio's dedication to boxing and training over the years and thought he would be the perfect fit for introducing a professional fighting league called 'XRumble'.
Feldman said the league will be fully-sanctioned where fighters can use 'modified' versions of boxing, mixed-martial arts and bare-knuckle fighting.
'I always remembered Antonio over the years,' Feldman told DailyMail.com. 'The new platform will kick off with Antonio, who will be part of this big card, and we will have another crossover match with actor David Kurzhal versus Sugar Shane Mosley. We are looking for another actor, athlete, former world boxing champion who wants to get their opportunity to fight Antonio.'
Celebrity Boxing founder and CEO Damon Feldman said Sabato's upcoming fight will help promote a new professional fighting league called 'XRumble'
The actor said he would rather focus on his family and his next goal - getting in the ring with a major boxer. Sabato said once Celebrity Boxing finds an opponent for him, he will be traveling back to California where he plans to undergo rigorous training.
'I want to do this because I do want to get back in the limelight but I also know I'm physically there,' Sabato said.
'Whether people like me or not, or agree with my politics or not, they will know I'm going to show up ready. They are going to know I wasn't scared of anything.'
He said boxing was the first sport he came to love because his father, Italian actor Antonio Sr., used to take him to gyms in Rome when he trained.
'He brought me in and threw me the ring when I was about eight years old, so I've been boxing my whole life,' Sabato said with a laugh. 'I would love to give it a shot and show the world what I got.
'I think there is a finesse about boxing that has been lost. People want excitement and be entertained, and I think I could bring some of that back to the sport.'
