A Smith's Parish man yesterday told a court of a fist fight between former prizefighter Frederick Thomas and accused Shannon Tucker.

Saleem Talbot recalled the fight which landed Mr. Thomas in a hospital emergency ward during the trial of Shannon Tucker, 20, of Broken Hill Lane, in Magistrates' Court.

Tucker has pleaded not guilty to using threatening words, causing grievous bodily harm and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon -- a bottle and a boat engine part -- on October 24 in Devil's Hole.

Mr. Talbot yesterday told Magistrates' Court he was working inside Club Road Sports when he heard arguing outside.

He said he went outside, saw Mr. Thomas and Tucker arguing and attempted to break them up.

"I tried to prevent it from getting worse so I asked Shannon to stop,'' Mr.

Tucker said. "Shannon was hostile. It was a heated exchange. I could see that it could escalate and get worse.'' He said the verbal argument soon developed into a fist fight.

But despite witnessing the fight between the two men, Mr. Talbot could not say who swung the first punch.

"At one point a bottle or something struck Mr. Thomas, it might have been a piece of metal, in the head,'' he said. "Everything happened so quickly.'' Mr. Talbot also testified that he recalled seeing Tucker spit on Mr. Thomas.

Mr. Thomas, who was bleeding, attempted to get into his van but Tucker was obstructing him.

Eventually, Mr. Talbot added, Mr. Thomas was able to drive off.

Under cross-examination by Tucker's lawyer Richard Hector, Mr. Talbot said both Mr. Thomas and Tucker were exchanging blows.

He also said Mr. Thomas did not initially heed people's advice to leave the area.

And although he admitted some 15 to 20 people were present during the fight, he maintained that he did not see anyone else become physically involved in the brawl.

In a Police statement Tucker claimed he was outside the Harrington Sound Workmen's Club when Mr. Thomas stopped his van, and walked over to where some people were sitting outside the club.

Noting the area was surrounded by beer bottles and other litter, Mr. Thomas asked the people to pick the bottles up and then grabbed him by the arm and shouted at him.

He said he pushed Mr. Thomas away but he hit him in the chest and jaw. Tucker said he tried to run away.

Tucker told Police the people sitting outside the club threw things at Mr.

Thomas including parts of a boat -- one of which struck Mr. Thomas on the head.

Mr. Thomas has testified while asking people to pick up the bottles, Tucker became abusive, spat at him twice and punched him.

While he walked away, he said, Tucker hit him from behind, threw a bottle at him and "clubbed'' him with a metal object.

Mr. Thomas said he managed to escape and headed for the hospital.

Yesterday, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital Emergency physician Dr. Philip Jones said Mr. Thomas suffered bruising to the cheek and chest and had several lacerations. Three of the cuts required stitches.

Dr. Jones also said he found a bite mark on Mr. Thomas' shoulder.

Dr. Jones said it was "unlikely'' that the bruising Mr. Thomas suffered were caused by a fall.