Vijender meets British MP Vaz at House of Commons

Poster boy of Indian boxing Vijender Singh was invited to the House of Commons here where he met Member of Parliament Keith Vaz.

In an hour-long meeting held at the Chess Room of Parliament on Wednesday evening, Vaz congratulated Vijender for winning his professional debut fight and wished him good luck for his second fight scheduled to be held at Dublin on November 7, according to a release.

During this meeting Vaz presented a birthday gift to Vijender, who won the bronze medal in the 2008 Olympics.

After meeting with Vaz, Vijender said: "It's an honour for me to be here at the House of Commons to meet Keith Vaz MP. It was really good and motivational meeting him. He appreciated me for joining professional boxing and extended his full support in my new journey. Vaz is a big time sports lover."

"We must support Vijender in his career. I know he has worked hard to win first Olympic medal in the amateur boxing for India and I am confident that he will become the champion in his new journey very soon," Vaz said.

"It's an important step taken by Vijender to promote British Indians to get involved in the sport and our community needs to support him."

Speaking about his second fight in Dublin, Vijender hoped that the Indian community in the Irish capital will turn up to cheer him.

"I have trained in Ireland before the 2012 Olympics and it was fun. I am looking forward to my fight in Dublin next Saturday. I am sure Indian community in Dublin will turn up in large numbers to cheer and support me at National Stadium," the Haryana pugilist said.

Vijender, however, said he is missing his friends back home as he turned 30 on Thursday.

"I am missing my Indian friends, fellow boxers and coaches today on this special day but my new fellow boxers and trainers here have made it special by getting cake, gifts etc. I am just training hard for my next fight and focusing on the win next Saturday," the former World No.1 in the middleweight (75kg) category in amateur boxing said.