Australian professional and world surfer champion Mick Fanning never thought that one day he would be involved in a brawl with a shark.

Mick Fanning, 34, had been competing in an international surfing event in South Africa, Sunday, when the shark attack happened. The quick turn of events left the J-Bay Open organizers and the whole surfing world dumbfounded and shocked at the horrifying sight they witnessed.

The 15-second simulcast on live television showed the surfing champ propelling his arms and navigating his board out of the shallow water when the terrifying fin of the shark appeared alongside him. The next thing that happened, Mick Fanning was whacked off his surfing board during the shark attack. He then wrestled with the still unidentified breed of shark. As he punched the shark on its back, he used his board as a shield to protect him from the impending bites, as per The Telegraph.

Fortunately, the shark, realizing that his bait was not cooperating, abandoned its attack. Mick Fanning escaped without any serious injuries.

Officials from the World Surf League immediately rushed to the scene aboard a speed boat and helped the distraught surfer into the support boat.

Back on safe shores, Mick Fanning has this to relate about the shark attack: "I was just sitting there and I felt something just get stuck in my leg rope, and I was kicking trying to get it away. I punched him in the back."

"I instantly just jumped away. It kept coming at my board and I was kicking and screaming. I just saw fins. I was waiting for the teeth," he continued, saying, "I just can't believe it. I'm just tripping. ... To walk away from that, I'm just so stoked."

Meanwhile, The Sydney Morning Herald reported, World Surf League's chief executive lauded Mick Fanning's "unbelievable heroism" for his valiant efforts against the shark attack and "brotherhood" of Fanning and fellow Australian surfer Julian Wilson.

Paul Speaker disclosed to Fairfax Media, "Mick and Julian exercised unbelievable heroism. Mick literally fought off the shark."

He has this to say about Julian Wilson's attempt to come to Fanning's aid, despite him being at risk of being attacked too, "Very rarely are we tested to find out how we would react in a situation like this, Julian immediately started paddling toward his friend. We're just really grateful that nothing tragic happened."

The two surfing champions were expected to head home immediately after Mick Fanning's breathtaking getaway from the shark attack on the League's World Championship Tour held on Jefferys Bay. The competition was officially called off after the Sunday incident, with both Aussie awarded with split winnings and taking the second place finish.

On the other end, according to DailyMail, while Mick Fanning was experiencing the shark attack, his alarmed mother, Elizabeth Osborne, was watching the events unfold before her very eyes in front of the television set in Australia.

She said, "I was so scared. I just thought when that wave came through that he'd gone," exclaiming that she went closer to the TV "almost as though I could pull him out ... to save him."

Mrs. Osborne added that seeing son Mick Fanning involved in a shark attack brought flashbacks of his brother who died 17 years ago in a car crash.

"It's the worst thing I've ever seen happen to any of my family because it was just there in front of me," she voiced out about the shark attack she witnessed.

"When Sean was killed in the car accident, I didn't see it. I saw this just in front of me. It was just terrible," she added.

Incidentally, Kelly Slater, eleven-time world champion surfer was also on the beach when Mick Fanning's shark attack happened.

He said, "I'm lost for words to be honest. We almost just watched our friend get eaten by a shark and I'm just blown away that there's no damage at all."

Although seeing a shark up close and personal, and to even get attacked, was a traumatic event for both Mick Fanning and the other surfers, their love for their sport will live on and they won't be deterred from their passion. It's just one of the hazards of the job.