I see your point, but this was not just a 'punch'.
Sportscasting article by J.L. Seto
Published on June 17, 2020
Kermit Washington Is Responsible for the Dirtiest Play in NBA History
An excerpt . . .
"Tomjanovich’s nose was broken, his jaw was broken, his skull was fractured, and he even had some spinal fluid leakage, according to Talk Basket. These injuries were life-threatening, but fortunately, Tomjanovich recovered after a few months."