James Packer and David Gyngell fight: Can you believe it’s been 10 years since the best friends and media giants went toe-to-toe on a Sydney street
Ten years ago, on May 5, 2014, some of the most famous paparazzi photos of all time were taken on a Sydney street as billionaire James Packer and best friend David Gyngell engaged in their now legendary Bondi brawl.
It caused a huge furore at the time, which reached far beyond the posh beach area of Bondi where the men threw punches at each other.
These extraordinary photos show the moment two of Australia’s richest men – both media giants in Australia at the time – started fighting in the street after an argument.
Mr. Packer and Mr. Gyngell had been friends since childhood, and Mr. Gyngell was best man at Mr. Packer’s wedding to his second wife Erica Baxter, a marriage that ended in 2013.
At the time, Mr Packer owned Channel 9 and Mr Gyngell was its CEO.
Ten years ago, on May 5, 2014, some of the most famous paparazzi photos of all time were taken on a Sydney street as billionaire James Packer and best friend David Gyngell began their now legendary Bondi brawl (pictured)
Cash grab: The fight between the men who had known each other for decades made headlines around the world
Beach bums: Mr. Packer and Mr. Gyngell’s dress code gave no indication of what they are both worth
Mr Gyngell, now aged 58, apparently confronted his friend outside his Sydney home on that fateful day, and the pair began rowing.
They had to be separated by bodyguards and were later fined $500 each for “offensive behavior.”
Mr Gyngell accepted responsibility for the fight and promised to cooperate with the police investigation into the incident.
“He fully accepts that he was the instigator of the incident,” the spokesperson said. “It’s clear that if he hadn’t shown up at Packer in an angry mood, the confrontation would never have happened.”
Despite their frustrations with each other turning into violence, the pair soon told friends they regretted the fight and insisted they would remain on good terms.
Mr Gyngell’s wife, Leila McKinnon, was quick to joke about the controversy, comparing it to the fight between Beyoncé’s wife Jay-Z and her sister Solange Knowles.
“Okay, they are much better dressed and a bit more discreet, but today I feel a kinship with Beyonce, Solange and Jay Z,” she tweeted.
Solange was caught on camera at New York’s Standard Hotel wildly attacking Jay Z after the Met Gala afterparty, requiring burly security guards to break up the brawl.
Mrs McKinnon’s light-hearted attack on her husband and his best man was well received by her Twitter followers.
Mr Gyngell retired from running Channel 9 in 2005, but returned to the network in September 2007.
The fight continued as their bodyguards (pictured) tried to separate the pair
One of the bodyguards looks on in apparent disbelief at what happened
Both fighters were wearing training gear as they got the exercise they didn’t expect
In this photo of the fight, Mr. Packer appeared to have a word in Mr. Gyngell’s ear
Mr Gyngell accepted responsibility for the fight and promised to cooperate with the police investigation into the incident. They were both later fined $500 each for ‘offensive behaviour’
He resigned again in 2015 after eight years at the helm of the network.
Mr Packer, 56, sold Channel 9 between 2006 and 2008 to focus on casinos and tourism.
After struggling with his weight in recent years, he has been on a health kick, losing more than 33kg in the past two years.
The billionaire mogul recently showed off the results of his weight loss during an afternoon walk in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.
THE FIGHTING BILLIONAIRES WHO BOTH INHERITED HUGE fortunes
James Packer and David Gyngell are both descendants of families who created television in Australia and were friends for much of their lives.
Mr Packer is the grandson of Sir Frank Packer, who founded the channel that would eventually become the Nine Network, Australia’s first commercial TV network.
His father was Kerry Packer, infamous for transforming the world of cricket when he paid many of the world’s top stars to participate in a breakout league in the 1970s.
When James inherited the business empire, he invested in a number of casinos in Australia and Southeast Asia.
Mr. Gyngell was the bare-knuckle fighter in his fight with Mr. Packer
Mr. Packer had the advantage of being taller and physically a bigger man
He eventually walked away as Mr Gyngell was comforted by his bodyguards as he lay on the ground
He married Erica Baxter in 2007 and the couple have three children together, but they announced they were divorcing in September 2013.
Mr. Packer was once a close friend of Tom Cruise and publicly flirted with adopting the actor’s Scientology faith.
Mr Gyngell is the son of Bruce Gyngell, who helped Sir Frank Packer set up the Nine Network and in 1956 became the first person to ever appear on a national television broadcast.
He became friends with Mr Packer when the pair attended the private Cranbrook School in Sydney, and they have remained close ever since.
Mr Gyngell is married to Channel Nine presenter Leila McKinnon.
My Gyngell (pictured) spent most of his life at Channel 9
He is married to Channel 9 presenter Leila McKinnon (pictured)