Exclusive photos: James Packer, Nine CEO David Gyngell in street brawl

May, 5, 2014

Yesterday afternoon, gaming billionaire James Packer got in a vicious fist fight with Nine Entertainment Group CEO David Gyngell on the street in Bondi, Sydney.

News Corporation can reveal exclusive photographs of the moment the former best mates brawled outside Packer’s $20 million dollar beach pad.

The stills show the men aggressively wrestling, before falling to the ground in a head lock.

Some of the photos show the burly Packer with his right eye bruised and turning black and his left-cheekbone swelling up quickly, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Gyngell is unshaven, barefoot and wearing a tracksuit — a far cry from his regular businessman apparel.

“They were beating the hell out of each other — fists were flying,’’ said photographer Brendan Beirne, who witnessed the explosive fight.

“When Packer got out of his car, Gyngell came around to his side of the car and within seconds it just exploded,’’ said Beirne.

Beirne had been following Packer on Sunday in the hope of taking a picture of him with his rumoured love interest, model Miranda Kerr, who arrived back in Australia last week.

The brawl took place on Sir Mitchell Thomas Road on Sunday afternoon, but despite being so close to Bondi Beach’s popular strip only a handful of witnesses and paparazzi were present.

On The Project, Packer’s neighbour Chris Walker said teeth were collected off the street. Another neighbour reportedly has them in their possession.

He also said Gyngell was very upset about something Packer had done and called him every name under the sun. “He was very hurt,” Walker told The Project.

Another witness told The Australian , “it was like two mad dogs at each other’s throats”.

Gyngell, who is married to Channel Nine presenter Leila McKinnon, was waiting for 20 minutes outside the property for Packer to arrive home from the airport.

Gyngell received a heated phone call from Packer just moments before his car arrived at the scene, with Gyngell repeatedly saying he was “going to punch him”.

Sources have confirmed Packer was told about a Channel Nine news van parked in the street, which caused the furious phone call. Gyngell reportedly turned up to the property to try and calm Packer, and advise him the van belonged to an on-call worker who lived in the street and was not there for a story.

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