You’d normally expect the on-screen punches to be kept for reality television, but Bachelorette star Stu Laundy got a rude awakening when he was subjected to a royal blow in the face on another television show.
Indeed, Sophie Monk’s ex-boyfriend didn’t quite know what hit him when A Current Affair reporter Steve Marshall knocked him for six – right in the nose, no less.
But before we jump to conclusions, it turns out there was a perfectly valid reason for it.
In an interview with the Channel Nine show, Laundy and Marshall went head-to-head in the boxing ring ahead of Stu’s charity fight with Sonny Bill Williams in December.
During the interview, the former Bachelorette winner was oozing confidence, boasting about his one previous win in a fight when he was in year six.
Before heading in for battle, the two men sounded each other off.
“So you’re the Bachelor? I could beat you with a spatula,” Steve jokingly said.
Quick to the mark, Stu came back with a clanger: “You’re gonna crop a thrashing from the bloke on reality TV.”
As he geared up, Stu requested one last appearance check before going into the ring: “Can you still see the blue eyes? It’s all I care about.”
Then, it was game on. Overseen by boxing legend Jeff Fenech, the pair started throwing punches at each other, and to everyone’s – an mostly Stu’s – surprise, Marshall was a gun.
Hitting Laundy square in the nose, Steve had hit the jackpot. And Stu was comically distressed.
“In the end you got me in the ring and I got one in the nose and I’m going ‘sh*t!’,” he exclaimed.
“Is it bleeding?!”
Needless to say, when it came to choosing who came out best, Steve was the clear winner.
The fight, which takes place on December 1, supports two charities dedicated to helping the homeless – the Exodus Foundation and Auckland City Mission.
Both are close to Stu’s heart given his involvement SBS’s series Filty Rich and Homeless.
Sonny Bill is no stranger to a fight, having taken part in many boxing matches over his time. Stu’s clear lack of experience means it’ll be an interesting (and potentially cringe-worthy) fight to watch – but props to Laundy for giving it a go!
In January this year, Stu made headlines when he split from Bachelorette star Sophie Monk.
Sophie spoke to A Current Affair about the break-up, denying claims she had broken up with her former boyfriend via social media. Stu had previously alleged that he learnt of their bust-up on Instagram.
Sophie said: “You clash when you’ve got different morals.”
WATCH: Stu friendzones Sophie on The Bachelorette