Hann was presented with the winner's belt by world snooker champion Ronnie O'Sullivan after the six-minute bout at the York Hall in Bethnal Green.

The fight settled a dispute going back to the pair's junior days, which resurfaced at the world championship.

Hann challenged Andy Hicks to a scrap after a heated exchange during their match - and King stepped in for Hicks.

Australian Hann called Hicks "short and bald" prompting King, who is also bald, to take his place for the fight.

The fight made up for what it lacked in technical ability with a non-stop aggressive display from the pair.

They quickly forgot all they had learned in training, abandoning boxing behind their jabs inside the first minute to wade into each other.

I thoroughly enjoyed the training and I enjoyed the fight - I'd love to do it again Quinten Hann

First blood went to 26-year-old Hann as King, from Essex, suffered damage to his nose.

King battled back gamely but a grandstand finish in which he swung a series of big left-hand punches at Hann failed to turn the tide.

The pair embraced at the end, settling the differences which had simmered ever since King won �500 from Hann in a match at a snooker club when the Australian was only 16.

"I thoroughly enjoyed the training and I enjoyed the fight. I'd love to do it again," said Hann.

"The bad feeling between us was partly to hype up the fight but we've certainly never really been mates.

"I don't like most of the other snooker players, they're not my sort of people."

Both had taken their training seriously, becoming ABA licensed boxers.

Hann joined Dagenham Amateur Boxing Club while King trained at east London's Monteagle under the watchful eye of Jason Rowland, the former WBU light-welterweight champion, who was in his corner.

The Sport Relief charity and the youth development programmes of the Dagenham and Monteagle Boxing Clubs benefited from the fight, which was sponsored by EA Sports game Fight Night 2004.