When a black bear threatened Carl Moore’s pet dogs at his rural home in California, he threw caution to the wind and punched the bear’s head to save his chihuahuas.

The 5 1/2 foot, 130kg invader had wandered onto Moore’s Placer County property last week when he heard a commotion with his dogs.

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Like a protective parent, Moore said he wasn’t “gonna let no bear eat my puppies” so he ran outside and laid a right hook on the bear as it turned away.

“I’m an old brawler. I hit him with an overhand right and got him really good,” Moore said.

“This big right hand has sent a lot of people to the floor,” he told CBS Sacramento, referring to his own fist.

The move was apparently instinctive for the 73-year-old and was witnessed by two people.

“I know I’ll never see that one again,” witness Tyler Silva said.

“The bear took a breath out like it had been struck in the stomach and then it took off down the road.”

According to another witness, Moore followed the bear out the gate yelling with his fists raised before laying one on the mammal.

“Carl just blasted him… crazy.”

The bear was not up for round two.

Authorities believe the bear had had a taste for the chickens on Moore’s property after he lost a number in the weeks before the punch.

It’s estimated there are between 25,000 and 30,000 black bears in California.