'Mayweather v McGregor of the NHL': Hockey heavyweights throw down in epic fist fight (VIDEO)

A fist fight between NHL stars Ryan Reaves and Adam McQuaid has captured the imagination of sports fans Stateside, with the skirmish dubbed the McGregor versus Mayweather of the ice.

Fighting in ice hockey is nothing new, and some players have built a reputation off the back of their ability to win fights on the ice as the alpha males of the NHL square off in the middle of the rink in battles that enthral the crowds across the United States and Canada.

And when the Las Vegas Golden Knights met the New York Rangers on Tuesday night at the T-Mobile Arena, two of the sport's heavy hitters went toe to toe.

Adam McQuaid (#54) © USA TODAY Sports / Dan Hamilton

During a break in play, Las Vegas forward Ryan Reaves and Rangers defenseman Adam McQuaid laid down the sticks and started circling in the middle of the rink as fans in the stands rose to their feet to get a good view of the heavyweight clash.

The dust-up lasted longer than many hockey fights, with both men getting solid punches in before Reaves knocked McQuaid's helmet off and started unloading with heavy shots, eventually throwing the New York man to the ice.

The head-to-head was described by one fan online as the "Mayweather vs McGregor of the NHL," while commentator Sam Rosen described it as "a heavyweight battle."

The fight attracted plenty of attention online, sparking the debate over whether the sport of hockey needed to clamp down on on-ice fights, while others arguing that it's part of the sport and part of why some people watch the games.

Fights in NHL games are on the decline, with stats site hockeyfights.com revealing the percentage of games featuring on-ice fights has dropped from 41.4 percent a decade ago to just 18.9 percent this season, as per USA Today. 

But judging by the response to the scrap between Reaves and McQuaid, there's still a sizable group of fans who still love to see the players throw down on the ice.