The brother of Australian boxer Michael Zerafa has faced court after being charged over an unlawful altercation in the boxing ring, mistakenly believing his sibling was under attack.

Jason-Manuel Zerafa, 26, was arrested on August 29 and charged with common assault following a brawl at Sydney’s International Convention Centre the previous evening. Appearing in Downing Centre Local Court, Jason-Manuel immediately pleaded guilty, admitting to the charges brought against him.

His lawyer, Upol Amin, described the incident to Magistrate Chris Longley, stating, “A boxing ring is typically a place for controlled violence, but this was a case of unlawful violence.”

The drama unfolded after Michael Zerafa won via technical knockout against Tommy Browne, but his victory was soon marred by the actions of his brother. Jason-Manuel Zerafa threw a punch at Browne’s 60-year-old trainer, Tommy Mercuri, following a heated exchange between the two corners.

Browne, suffering from a bicep injury in the first round, was unable to continue the fight. The decision seemed to infuriate Jason-Manuel, who mistakenly believed Mercuri was about to strike his brother.

Magistrate Longley noted that while blood is thicker than water, Jason-Manuel’s actions were fueled by an “element of stupidity.” However, instead of a conviction, he imposed a six-month conditional release order due to the defendant’s clean record, his apology to Mercuri, and the spur-of-the-moment nature of the incident.

According to his lawyer, Jason-Manuel, who works as a security guard and studies nursing, regretted his actions. He had spent six hours in custody following the arrest, missed his flight back to Victoria, and faced significant backlash on social media after the incident made headlines.

Although Mr. Mercuri sustained minor injuries that did not require medical attention, the police prosecutor pushed for a conviction, arguing that the assault had damaged the reputation of boxing on a global stage. However, Magistrate Longley dismissed this, noting the irony of such a claim in a sport centered around combat.

As a result of his actions, Jason-Manuel Zerafa was handed a lifetime ban by No Limit Boxing, labeling the incident as “unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, Michael Zerafa’s victory over Tommy Browne was overshadowed by his brother’s outburst. Zerafa had previously fought for the WBA middleweight title in March but was stopped by Cuban champion Erislandy Lara.