Referee takes full-blooded shot from Badou Jack during unification bout with James DeGale

The match ended in a majority draw

Referee Arthur Mercante Jr takes a left hook straight to the face (YouTube)

James DeGale retained his IBF super-middleweight crown following a majority draw in a unification bout against Badou Jack at the Barclays Center in New York on Saturday night.

DeGale knocked down Jack in the first round and looked to be in control, but the WBC champion grew into the contest and knocked the Brit down in the final round.

That flooring proved crucial, as DeGale was given the nod 114-112 on one of the judge’s cards but the other two scored the contest 11-113, meaning both fighters kept their titles.

However, it was not such a pleasant night for referee Arthur Mercante Jr, who took a shot full in the face from Jack after the bell for the end of the round.

A close-up of Mercante’s face revealed the left hook had left him with a nasty cut on the side of his cheek.

Nevertheless, the referee somehow managed to soldier on for the remainder of the fight, despite needing to be held up by a combination of the ropes and Jack.