Boxer beats rival ... then gives back belt

Indian boxer Vijender Singh scored a unanimous victory over China's Zulpikar Maimaitiali before handing his belt back as a gesture of peace between the nations.

Vijender Singh and Zulpikar Maimaitiali go toe-to-toe in their middleweight title bout in Mumbai. (AAP)

Indian boxer Vijender Singh won a bout 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."

"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.