Benn or Eubank Jr.? Aliens or Katy Perry? 100 men or a gorilla? All face-offs you might have been debating the champ of over the past few weeks.
But there’s one you may have left out – a British Special Air Service (SAS) soldier vs a US marine.
While some of those scenarios might not really be able to be tested out (I know, I know, I’m sure you’d put up a good fight against a gorilla), the battle of the two military men has already been taken for a spin.
Back in 1998, Universal Warriors promoted an event named the Commando Knock-out Challenge with contestants made up of elite service members from around the world.
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And when the Brit took on the yank in the boxing match, it ended in quite the brutal knock-out.
A rather American-esque event, it took place in a pentagon-shaped ring with the score card labelled ‘USA vs The World’.
The SAS was represented by a former instructor named Carl Richardson, standing at 5’9’’ and 171 lbs while wearing camouflaged pants because you know, military.
He was facing Matthew Ortiz, a US Recon marine who just about stood over him at 5’11’’ be weighed in less at 168 lbs.
And of course, in such a dramatic event, their pre-fight trash talk had to live up as Richardson warned: “I’m gonna bring back America, back to Britain, and show [them] who’s boss.”
As Ortiz spat back: “We kicked the British out once – and we’ll do it again."
However, that arrogance didn’t exactly work out for him as the red-gloved Richardson claimed it for Brits. Ah, patriarchy.
With a pretty crap level of defence, Richardson punched out Oritz and ended up winning by knock-out after the second round.
Commentators said the US marine was ‘tough’ but he evidently just wasn’t tough enough.
Richardson had a fair few boo’s from the American crowd as he took up the Team World’s score up 2-1.
“It takes a lot of courage and guts to do what these guys are doing,” said one commentator, “we really have to tip our hats to them.”
As another added that their boxing is ‘not a true indication’ of their skill in combat ‘or as a military soldier’.
Commenting on a clip of the fight on YouTube, one wrote ‘of course the SAS are gonna win’.
While another pointed out the obvious: “I wouldn’t wanna fight either of em.”
Well, what do you reckon? Would you rather take on a gorilla with 99 others or one of this pair.
Jess Battison