General Hospital and Melrose Place star Antonio Sabato Jr lost his career supporting Donald Trump

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. plots a comeback, but this time in the boxing ring.

In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, the former Melrose Place and General Hospital heartthrob revealed that he has signed a contract with the owners of Celebrity Boxing and hopes to step into the ring against professionals like Floyd Mayweather or Conor McGregor.

The now 52-year-old said he has “grown a lot” since he said he was ostracized by the “Hollywood elite” after supporting Trump’s first campaign.

Sabato came under heavy criticism after a controversial speech he gave at the 2016 Republican Party Convention in which he said Barack Obama was not a Christian but a Muslim “from the bad side.”

Sabato said his agents dropped him immediately after his RNC appearance and the projects he had in mind disappeared.

He said he’s been struggling with it for years, but it’s “getting better.”

“If you disagree with the power of Hollywood on important key issues in our country, it can be very dangerous,” the actor said. “I think that’s going to be the case for the rest of my life. But whether you disagree with me or not, you have to show respect for someone who stands up to the bully.

“They tried to blacklist me and make sure I would never work in this city again, but I will continue to work and continue to follow my own path.”

Sabato, who is best known for his roles on TV shows such as Melrose Place and General Hospital, has also appeared in dozens of films and other shows, including as a contestant on Dancing With The Stars in 2014.

He even tried his hand at politics, running for California’s 26th District Congressional seat in 2018 against incumbent Democrat Senator Julia Brownley.

However, his campaign took a major hit after his then-estranged wife, Marie, filed for divorce, alleging that the actor was abusing prescription benzodiazepines.

Sabato ultimately finished second in the 2018 primaries.

He said he went from TV roles in Hollywood to driving construction equipment throughout Florida, and about seven years ago he decided to move there with his family.

“Nobody would hire me in the Hollywood world, but I had to make enough money to survive and provide for my family,” he said. “I rolled up my sleeves, put my ego aside and did what I had to do.

“I would go to construction sites from midnight to six in the morning and do the work, like pouring concrete from the truck. I did everything.”

He said he also went public with his struggle 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 great and God is good,” said Sabato, who recently celebrated his seventh anniversary with his wife. “I’m a recovering addict and I’ve been 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 say, ‘Wow, Antonio has been through all this, but now look at him!’ That’s what life is about: having those moments that can change your perspective and help you get your life back on track.”

Although the former model said he has left politics behind, he still has very sharp criticism of both Democrats and Republicans.

“I used to be a Democrat, then I became a Republican,” he said. “I’ve gotten to know both parties very well — the good and the bad — and now I know I don’t want to have anything to do with either party, because I’m an Independent now.

“I think Biden is doing a terrible job and the country is in terrible shape. Both parties are the problem because they don’t help the people. They actually only stand up for themselves and have little concern for the well-being of people.’

Although he no longer supports Trump and the Republican Party, Sabato said the former president and now convicted criminal was unfairly prosecuted.

“With all the real crime politicians have committed, they want to focus on something that has nothing to do with Trump’s presidency. The country is not doing well, but we still have a chance to change that.’

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 to launch a professional fighting league called ‘XRumble.’

Feldman said the competition will be fully sanctioned, with fighters able to use “modified” versions of boxing, mixed martial arts and bare knuckles.

“I’ve 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’ll have another crossover match with actor David Kurzhal versus Sugar Shane Mosley. We’re looking for another actor, athlete, former world boxing champion who wants the opportunity to fight Antonio.”

The actor said he would rather focus on his family and his next goal: getting in the ring with a big-name boxer. Sabato said that once Celebrity Boxing finds him an opponent, he will travel back to California, where he plans to undergo rigorous training.

“I want to do this because I want to be back in the spotlight, but I also know that I am there physically,” Sabato said.

“Whether people like me or not, whether they agree with my policies or not, they will know that I will be there. They will know that I was not afraid of anything.”

He said boxing was the first sport he grew to love because his father, Italian actor Antonio Sr., took him to gyms in Rome during his training.

“He brought me in and threw me the ring when I was about eight years old, so I’ve been boxing all my life,” Sabato said with a laugh. ‘I would like to give it a chance and show the world what I have to offer.

“I think there is a finesse in boxing that has been lost. People want excitement and entertainment, and I think I can bring some of that back to the sport.”