Man punches kangaroo to save dog

The man goes toe-to-toe with the kangaroo. Photo / via video

They're meant to be best friends, but not every man and his dog shares this kind of bond.
Incredible footage has emerged of a man fighting a large kangaroo in the Australian Outback in an effort to protect his pet pooch from the aggressive animal's clinches.

The moment the man stood toe-to-toe and traded punches with the marsupial to save his dog 'Max' was captured on camera by a friend, who videoed the fight from the safety of his vehicle.

The video was taken on what appeared to be a hunting trip in rural bushland.

As the white truck carrying the group drives speeds down a dirt road, the man can be heard yelling out for his dog 'Max' to come 'here'.

When the dog fails to run to the truck, its owner becomes visibly worried.

Suddenly, the truck comes to a stop, with the man jumping down from the back tray and running quickly towards where his animal appears to have trapped a kangaroo.

The narrator of the video, which appears to have been shown on a television program, describes the scene by saying "all is not as it seems".

"The big buck actually has hold of the dog, not the other way around. As (the man) runs in, we realise this could get dangerous," he says.

With the dog in a headlock, the approach of the man initially fails to deter the kangaroo, who kicks out with its leg.

Eventually the roo releases the dog, turning its attention instead to the man.

Standing upright, the marsupial stares at the man momentarily before being struck by a forceful punch that sends it stumbling backwards.

The narrator turned boxing commentator describes the clash between man and marsupial, telling how the roo looks to make the man 'his next victim'.

Understanding the danger posed by the large animal, the man quickly instructs his dogs to get back to the truck as he himself runs to safety.

Whether shaken by the contact from the punch or simply just confused by the whole situation, the kangaroo stands still for a few seconds before bounding away.

The viral video has been seen more than 2.5 million times since being posted to Facebook on Sunday.