Badou Jack and James DeGale battled for a majority draw in a grueling match on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York—but the most powerful punch might have been one that didn’t even factor in the fight.
With the fifth round winding down, the fighters were grappling close together before Jack threw a mean left hook at DeGale. The only problem? DeGale deftly dodged the punch, so Jack’s glove sailed right into the face of referee Arthur Mercante Jr., who was absolutely stunned by the hit:
Jack quickly reacted to the punch and grabbed Mercante before he hit the canvas, keeping the referee upright and making sure he was okay. Mercante got some medical attention from the trainers and, like a champ, finished officiating the fight.
One thing’s for sure: That guy can really take a punch.
