A Sydney man who says he was punched by Kiwis captain Benji Marshall has denied racially abusing the Wests Tigers NRL star.
Soliman Naimey gave evidence in Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court yesterday.
Marshall is accused of punching Mr Naimey in the face during a fight in inner Sydney's The Rocks in March.
The 26-year-old five-eighth was at the time the poster boy for the NRL's 2011 season.
Mr Naimey told the court he yelled at Marshall that Brisbane Broncos star Darren Lockyer was better than him outside a McDonald's Restaurant in the early hours of the morning.
Mr Naimay said Marshall then approached him and hit him in the face, knocking him backwards and leaving him with a bloody lip.
He denied suggestions from the defence that after the Lockyer comment he made a racial slur.
The 24-year-old told the court that after he was assaulted by Marshall he was then punched a second time by a friend of the NRL star.
Police have tendered security camera footage and a recording of a triple-0 call as evidence.
But the court heard the alleged assault itself was not captured by CCTV.
