Video of an Australian man boxing a kangaroo to save his dog went viral last week, but there is more to the story than meets the eye.
Greig Tonkins and his pals were on a boar hunting trip with their friend Kailem Barwick, a 19-year-old who was diagnosed with terminal cancer, hoping to catch an elusive "tonner"—a wild boar that weighs more than 100 kilograms (around 220 pounds), the Daily Mail reported.
During the trip, one of the dogs ran into a kangaroo while chasing a scent. Tonkins quickly ran to the dog's aide and intervened, first distracting the kangaroo and causing it to release the dog from a headlock. Thankfully the dog was wearing protective gear that prevented the kangaroo's claws from injuring him.
Tonkins, who is a zookeeper, then squared up with the animal and delivered a punch to get the kangaroo to leave the party alone, solidifying his fate as a viral video star.
"It was funny because the guy who [punched the kangaroo] is the most placid bloke. We laughed at him for chucking such a shit punch," friend Matthew Amor told news.com.au.
Barwick, who died of Ewing Sarcoma mere days before the video became a viral hit, would have been happy to see all of the attention the clip has gotten. "Kailem would be looking down from [heaven] and laughing because it was the highlight of the trip," Amor said.
