![Boxer Julio De Jesus punches referee](http://55plus.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/boxing.png)
A boxing match descended into chaos when one of the fighters threw a punch at the referee, who furiously tried to get his revenge with a shot of his own.
Angel Cruz was in action against Julio De Jesus on a show in the Dominican Republic on Friday night.
Cruz landed a rocket of a right hand in the second round that sent his opponent crumbling, instantly wheeling away in celebration.
While De Jesus was quickly back to his feet, the referee waved off the fight and awarded the victory to Cruz, condemning De Jesus to a seventh straight defeat.
De Jesus was furious with the decision, making his protests known before briefly retreating to his corner.
Moments later, he walked across the ring and landed a sneaky sucker-punch on the referee who had his back to him, catching him flush on the chin.
The stunned referee paused before seeing red.
He waded into De Jesus’ corner and threw a looping right hand of his own at the man who had clipped him moments earlier. The shot didn’t quite appear to connect cleanly with a member of De Jesus’ team appearing to block the worst of it.
Cruz, who had won the fight, acted as peacemaker, pulling the referee away from the De Jesus corner, with the official perhaps wisely making a quick exit out of the ring as things kicked off.
Cruz extended his record to 11-1 with the victory. De Jesus, 42, is now likely to face a fine and a possible ban for attacking the official.
Their bout took place on a Shuan Boxing card in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo.
In 2014, a Croatian fighter was banned from the sport for life for brutally attacking a referee at a European Youth Boxing Championship event.