Indian boxer beats Chinese rival but doesn’t want his belt
Indian boxing and WBO Asia-Pacific Super Middleweight champion Vijender Singh, left, fights with WBO Oriental Super Middleweight champion of China Zulpikar Maimaitiali, right, during their fight for the double title in Mumbai, India, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
NEW DELHI — Indian boxer Vijender Singh won his fight on Saturday and then offered to give his Chinese opponent’s belt back in a gesture of peace between the two rival nations.
The fight against China’s Zulpikar Maimaitiali went all 10 rounds with Singh the winner in a unanimous verdict — 96-93, 95-94, 95-94.
Singh successfully defended his WBO Asia Pacific super middleweight title and also took his opponent’s WBO Oriental super middleweight belt.
Singh hugged top Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan and other celebrities among fans at the National Sports Club of India in Mumbai, the country’s financial and entertainment capital.
Singh then came back into the ring, took the microphone and said: “I don’t want this title. I will give it back to Zulpikar.”
He added: “I don’t want tension on the border. It’s a message of peace. That’s important.”
The countries have been involved in a lingering dispute over a contested region high in the Himalayas where China, India and Bhutan meet.
