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The heart-wrenching story behind a video of a man punching a kangaroo with a right hook after the roo attacked his dog has been revealed.

American Steven Stubenrauch posted the clip on Facebook on Saturday night and the video of the showdown has been viewed more than 3 million times.

"My buddy from Australia sent me this," Steven wrote.

"Them roos are wild as hell."

But it has since been discovered that the video was actually shot by a group of hunters in June, at a rural estate in Condobolin in New South Wales.

(Image: Facebook/Kailem Barwick)

Speaking to WA Today, Matthew Amor, a member of the hunting party said the trip had been organised by a group of like-minded strangers for a 19-year-old man dying of cancer .

Kailem Barwick lost his battle on December 2 after being diagnosed with sarcoma earlier this year.

Kailem loved hunting and had a dream to catch a 'one tonner' (100kg) boar.

(Image: Steven Stubenrauch / Facebook)

Matthew said: "This DVD trip was made and put together for a sick young man who has recently passed away... it was a memory and part of the trip and gave us a great laugh after,."

The man who punched the kangaroo has been identified as Greig Tonkins, a zookeeper who was also on the hunting trip.

(Image: Facebook/Brandi-Lee Wadwell)

In the video, Greig jumps from a truck to save his dog from the kangaroo.

He then rushes into bushland and approaches the roo and the do as the wild animal holds his pet in a headlock.

(Image: Steven Stubenrauch / Facebook) (Image: Steven Stubenrauch / Facebook)

The roo lets his dog go and stands toe to toe as they start to circle each other like boxers.

Greig then throws a punch at its face and connects.

After the trip, Kailem took to social media to thank his group of friends for arranging the expedition.

(Image: Facebook)

Back in June, he wrote: "I just wanted this opportunity to express my gratitude for the kindness of strangers to help me with a dream I have in catching a tonner boar with my dogs.

"It wasn't long before I met up with a real good bunch of blokes a young fella like myself could ever ask for. They came from all over the countryside. Greig Tonks from my home town of Dubbo."

Kailem married his childhood sweetheart Brandi-Lee Wadwell in his hospital bed on November 27 shortly before his death.

On Facebook, Brandi-Lee wrote : "If I could give one piece of advice from loving Kailem for 2 years; it would be to hold on. Hold on to hope and hold on to every special memory you have.

"Let them know you love them at every spare chance you have and appreciate every single conversation you ever have.

"Go out of your way to make them feel appreciated and meaningful. I regret taking some things for granted, but I will forever remember that smile on our boys face when I walked down the aisle, nothing can come close to how he makes me feel."