Champion boxer Bilal Fawaz, who has represented England six times , was released from the immigration detention centre where he was being held pending deportation to Nigeria on Tuesday night (January 2.)

The 29-year-old, who was sent by his parents to the UK from Nigeria when he was 14, spent more than a month shut away in Tinsley House detention centre in South Gatwick.

The current London middleweight boxing title holder was arrested and locked up on November 29 for failing to report to the immigration centre, after the Home Office rejected his numerous applications for citizenship.

Fawaz was granted bail at the hearing on Tuesday, at which the Home Office said it "had no idea" when it might be able to secure the necessary travel documents to deport him, according to close friend Aamir Ali.

Speaking to getwestlondon following the hearing, Ali, who is the head of Stonebridge boxing club where Fawaz trains, said: "When Bilal heard the verdict he was over the moon! He was jumping around, he hugged the security guard and thanked the judge."

Boxing champion Bilal Fawaz has represented England in the ring in several fights

He added: "It's a small victory but a good step in the right direction - the fact that he was granted bail while they try and secure his travel papers shows they're floundering - they said they had no idea when they'll be able to get them.

Bilal with his London title belt

"Part of their justification of keeping him locked up was because of petty crimes he committed four years ago - but the judge saw that he hasn't committed anything recently and he's turned his life around for boxing and helping train kids at the club."

He added: "Now we just need to get him signed on and get him back into training - we're ready to take on the Home Office!

"The war is still not over - we still need to win those small battles."

The Nigerian High Commision has reportedly rejected the Home Office's application to secure Fawaz's travel documents three times, because it claims while he was born there he is not a citizen - his father was a Lebanese immigrant and his mother from Benin.

Ali added: "We now want to speak to the Nigerian High Commission to get confirmation from them and maybe take this to a judicial review."

A petition to keep Fawaz in the UK has gathered more than 12,000 signatures in four weeks; to sign, click here .

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "Mr Fawaz was granted bail on January 2 by an independent immigration judge.

"His bail conditions state that he must report regularly to the Home Office.

"His case is ongoing."

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