Video: Referee nearly gets KO’d during Badou Jack-James DeGale thriller

The first major boxing matchup of 2017 produced high drama, as WBC 168 lbs champion Badou Jack (20-1-3, 12 KOs) and IBF 168 lbs champion James DeGale (23-1-1, 14 KOs) went toe-to-toe at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. This title unification bout saw Jack knocked down in the opening round, but Jack was able to salvage a majority draw by sending DeGale to the canvas in the 12th and final round. It was a genuinely action-packed bout that will most likely see these two get booked for an immediate rematch. For Jack, this is his 2nd draw in a row, although his previous one against Lucian Bute was a completely bogus decision.

While hard shots were exchanged throughout the fight, perhaps the biggest punch landed was on referee Arthur Mercante Jr. At the end of round 5, Jack threw a punch just after the bell sounded, Mercante intervened and ate Jack’s left hook flush to the face. Jack held Mercante up, and the longtime referee was able to continue his duties for the remainder of the bout, albeit with a bloody cheek for his troubles.

Watch the video below:

Oh yeah, I suppose highlights of the actual fight are also appropriate.