Burkina Faso defender Steeve Yago brutally punches Botswana opponent to ground in African Cup of Nations qualifier

FOOTBALLERS are known to be fans of boxing – but one player decided to have a momentary switch of careers as he brutally punches an opponent to the ground.

Horrific footage shows Burkina Faso defender Steeve Yago smashing a Botswana opponent in the face with an extraordinarily powerful right hook in the last minute of an African Cup of Nations qualifier earlier this week.

Yago, who plays in French Ligue 1 with Toulouse, took exception to his opponent innocuously barging past him with the ball, prompting the knockout blow.

Perhaps he wanted a place on the undercard for this weekend's crunch fight between Kell Brook and Gennady Golovkin.

But the referee did not seem to want to ratify Yago's change of profession and promptly KO'd him with the inevitable red card ahead of a presumably lengthy suspension.

The extraordinary blow understandably leaves the opponent totally dazed on the turf  - but Yago's sending off was only one of THREE red cards in match as Burkina Faso won 2-1.

Yago meanwhile will be left to dwell on his actions and perhaps realise that he should stick to using his feet.