The man in the Russian city of Kemerovo decided to take on the object at a bus stop, but it didn't end well.
Captured on an eyewitness' smartphone, the short clip shows the man, wearing a Russian fur hat, staggering up to the street sign and hitting it with two sharp right hooks.
But with the third punch he slipped in the ice and snow, missing the pole completely.
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As he fell forwards, the unfortunate man got smacked in the face by the pole.
He then stumbled off to join the nearby bus queue.
Eyewitnesses said the main — wearing socks on his hands instead of boxing gloves — then tried to chat up a woman at the bus stop, but it went about as well as his fight with the stop sign.
Brits bare all in messiest New Year’s Eve ever
North News & Pictures Ltd
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Vadim Lebedev, who saw the whole event, said he approached the man and asked him why he was acting so strangely.
He replied that he drank because he had been denied opportunities in life.
But apparently he admitted his behaviour could be seen as frightening, and promised not to get in any more fights with street furniture.
Hundreds of Brits brave the cold for New Year's Day dip
Getty
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English fans heading to Russia for this Summer's World Cup have been warned they could end up in the notorious Russian "drunk tank" prison cells.
Was this year's New Year the messiest yet? Have a look at all the brawls, bums and booze as Brits brought in 2018.
Click here to find out how to cut down on your booze intake after the Christmas and New Year excess.