So there is this guy with me on base, we have never been angry at each other or anything. Not necessarily friends, but absolutely no reason to fight. The dialogue leading up to me getting socked in the jaw was something like this:

Guy: "Who votes (me) goes to do (chore)."

*everyone jokingly raises their hands*

Me: "Oh I see how it's going to be, (Guy's name)." (In a friendly way) "I'm going to have to go take a (fecal deposit) in the bathroom for you to clean." (An inside joke, someone missed the toilet apparently and he had to clean it)

Guy: "I'll beat your ass."

Me: *sarcastically* " Let's see it big man!"

Guy: *he gets up and punches me straight in the jaw, I don't even flinch because I thought this whole thing was a joke and it was going to be one of those fake punches*

Now at this point I'm confused. My adrenaline starts pumping hard, I start shaking, and I'm ready to deck this guy. It's important to know I've boxed for years. His punch barely nudged me nut left a little bruise. I know for a fact I could kill this man. I've seen him fight, he brags, but I could throw a sloppy right-hand lead and the fight could be over from there. I control myself though. I have no idea why, but I didn't instantly retaliate. Now I'm simply wondering whether I should just leave it at that, and make it one of those awkward moments everytime he is in the room, or whether I should just end the trash talk here.

I'm expecting "Violence isn't the answer, blah, blah, blah" but I'm never one to swallow my pride. If I shouldn't just fight him, how do I... well... make the situation less awkward.

Now thinking about this is getting my adrenaline pumping again... I really really want to knock the [censored] out of this person.

You gotta punch him back in the jaw twice.

Pref once while hes sleeping and the other while hes on the toilet.

My logic dictates that you should kick his ass. Just make sure he actually knows why.

Do it. Nobody should be allowed to get away with hitting you.

Its all in the mind games. You gotta beat him down bad when no one knows. Then everyone will see him messed up, theyll know you did it, but make sure you tell him to hush up about it

Yep, the forumites can get nasty!

He punched you in the face. Etiquette dictates that you should floor him and have a beer with him afterwards.

I'd give talking to him a shot. Attempting to settle things without beating the daylights out of one another doesn't mean swallowing your pride.

"On Base" - I'm presuming you're military?

Save your anger for the enemy.

Actually if it was me I'd go ask him if he didn't know you were jesting, obviously he didn't take it that way and thought you were being serious, telling him it was a jest is likely to make him feel embarrassed about hitting you and he will quite likely apologize if he's any sort of a decent person deep down.

If he already thinks you're bullying him going to beat him up is just going to make it worse, make sure he knows you didn't mean it.

Steal his shoelaces. All of them.

Actually engage in full physcological warfare. Make him doubt his sanity. Far more satisfying.

Reading that felt like reading my mate's over the top ridiculous stories he posts on his blog.

See, unfortunately you ran to the forum to ask a question you already know the answer to.

In my eyes, you lost. Regardless.

The reason you lost is because you came here after he hit you. When you should've hit him back. But no. You stood up. Walked to the computer to ask,

"Hmm...should I have fought back?"

At the time the first punch was thrown YES, you should have punched him back. AT THAT EXACT MOMENT you should have gotten up off the floor and laid him out. But now, since the moment has passed.

Take the defeat.

Violence isn't the answer, blah, blah, blah