The headlines were everywhere on Saturday, when Kash Ali was disqualified for biting Olympic bronze medal winner David Price during the fifth round of their heavyweight clash at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.

After Price had connected with a strong counter-punch right hand on the previously undefeated Ali, both men ended up grappling.

Ali initially appeared to have Price in trouble in the round, but the tall heavyweight hurt him badly with a big counter, which made Ali hold him for dear life and tackle him to the ground.

Once they hit the ground, Ali proceeded to bite him on his lower abdomen.

After Price showed referee Mark Lyson the bite marks, Ali – docked a point in the third round after previously being warned for punching to the back of the head – was swiftly disqualified.

The result saw the Birmingham fighter suffer a first defeat after 17 contests, and also had his purse withheld. As he left the ring, several drinks were thrown from the crowd and Ali was forced to run for his life back to the lockers.

There had been little love lost between the rival fighters during the build-up, which included an expletive-laden exchange from Price at a pre-fight press call.

After the fight, Ali was apologetic over the bite and explained that he lost his head. He know faces a lengthy ban and a fine from the British Boxing Board of Control.

“There’s no excuses for it. I think just the build-up to the fight. It’s my first time boxing on a big stage. I was so pumped up, I just wanted to fight. The street mentality just kicked in, it was stupid," Ali told IFL TV.

“As mad as it sounds, when I ended up on top of him, boxing went out the window. I just thought, ‘this is a fight now.’ - [it was] stupid. It was out of order and I apologize to him.”