Politics harder than boxing, won't give up without winning: Vijender

New Delhi: Navigating politics, where "one doesn't know if the opponent is in front or right beside you", has proven to be Vijender Singh's most formidable challenge yet but the multi-faceted boxer says he will not quit the arena until he "wins".

Despite facing some of the world's most fierce boxers in the ring, a roller-coaster ride that also left him with a broken nose, the Khel Ratna recipient says boxing pales in comparison to politics in the difficulty meter.

"Politics is very difficult. You can't figure out people in politics, nobody talks straight. Politics is hard, I'm still learning," the boxer, who started his political career with Congress before the 2019 Lok Sabha but switched to BJP ahead of the 2024 general elections, told PTI editors at its headquarters in an exclusive interaction here.

Vijender had unsuccessfully fought the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the South Delhi seat on a Congress ticket but he is confident that like in the boxing ring, he would be a winner in politics too at some stage.

"For me, boxing is easy. I love it. You know who you have to fight. In politics the fight is not with the one in front of you but sometimes against the guys standing next to you.

"It is very risky. But I will stay in politics, I won't quit till the time I win," he asserted.

Asked if he is open to contesting the Lok Sabha elections again, the 38-year-old said "Life ek baar milti hai, risk lena chahiye (You only live once, you should take risks)." "When you are old, you should not have this regret that 'wish I had tried this or that'. Why say no? Haar jeet toh baad ki baat hai. Agar jeet gaye toh balle-balle, haar gaye toh koi na, phir try kar lenge (Winning and losing is part of life, if I win, I celebrate, if I don't, I will try again)." On whether he would be more active during the upcoming assembly polls in Delhi and Haryana, Vijender said, "If the party wants me to fight the election, I will do it. I'm open to fighting from Haryana or Delhi. I have built houses in both places" His political journey has already been quite eventful. From being close to Rahul Gandhi at one stage to now being in the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but Vijender steered clear of any comparisons.

"My experience has been good with both of them. In Congress, I had no responsibility and in BJP also, I don't have any (responsibility) as of now but when I get responsibility then people will listen to me.

"I don't feel I have done anything great just by joining the party (BJP). Neither have I caused any problem for anyone.

"So why the fuss?" he asked when quizzed about the reasons behind his decision to switch sides.

I enjoy acting

Vijender has acted in two Bollywood movies -- 2014's Fugly and last year's Salman Khan starrer 'Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. He has been a judge on reality TV show Roadies X2.

He recalled how his Bollywood debut transpired.

"It (Fugly) was Akshay Kumar's production house. I was free, so I decided to do the movie." "We shot the movies in Ladakh for 14 days. After that he came back and I went straight to the world championships trial and got selected.

"Making a movie was very enjoyable. You are pretending to be someone else," he added.