Spectacular images capture the moment two red kangaroos square up to each other before a vicious kickboxing match

The Thais might claim to be the kick-boxing champions of the world, but they have nothing on the red kangaroos of outback Australia.

Arms flailing, the animals perch themselves on their powerful tails and let fly with powerful kicks – just like in this picture captured by British-born West Australian-based photographer Andy Tyndall.

This punch-up was, as with virtually all others involving red kangaroos, over a woman. Or rather, a female roo on heat.

With Arms flailing, two red kangaroos (pictured) perch themselves on their powerful tails and let fly with powerful kicks in pictures captured by British-born West Australian-based photographer Andy Tyndall

The spectacular punch-up started in Ellenbrook, a new suburb north of Perth. The two male roos (pictured), were fighting over a female roo on heat who had disappeared before the fight had broken out

It wasn’t exactly a fight to the death, but inevitably, the animal that was getting the worst of it – the one on the right – decided it was time to throw in the towel and off he hopped into the nearby trees.

Mr Tyndall was driving in Ellenbrook, a new suburb north of Perth late in the afternoon when he spotted the two large males squaring up.

With his camera at the ready, he moved as close as he could and waited for what he anticipated would be an all-out scrap. The roos didn’t need a ‘seconds out’ call – in a flash they were at each other.

First they tried a few fisticuffs before getting into the heavy stuff with those powerful rear legs.

Throwing themselves back on their tails, which they used as a kind of tripod, they each got in a few powerful kicks, but it soon became clear to Mr Tyndall, who continued to fire away with his camera, that the animal on his right was coming off the worst.

It wasn’t exactly a fight to the death, but inevitably, the animal that was getting the worst of it – the one on the right – decided it was time to throw in the towel after being pawed in the face (pictured)

Throwing themselves back on their tails, which they used as a kind of tripod (pictured), they each got in a few powerful kicks, but it soon became clear that the animal on his right was coming off the worst

‘In the end he gave up and hopped away, leaving the victor to munch away at the grass, almost as if nothing had happened,’ said Mr Tyndall.

He saw nothing of the female over which the fight had broken out.

‘There was no hugging and kissing for the winner,’ said Mr Tyndall. ‘But I think he would have been happy enough to have been the victor. I don’t think his rival will be back.’

Kangaroos are common in that part of northern Perth, he pointed out, ‘but to witness this kind of fight is not so common.

‘I’m surprised that neither was badly injured in this particular fight as those hind legs really pack a punch to the belly and come very close to some even more delicate parts!’