A MAN faces up to two years in jail for what Wagga Local Court magistrate Anthony Murray has described as an unprovoked and cowardly attack that left the victim with sickening injuries, including a fractured neck and seven broken teeth.

Mr Murray yesterday deferred sentencing of 23-year-old Timothy Ring until he receives details on any permanent disability suffered by the victim and the nature and extent of disfigurement.

"This is just a cowardly, unprovoked attack ? unbelievable," Mr Murray said after reading the police statement of facts.

The facts said the victim, a man, was hit from behind by Ring in Gurwood Street near the taxi rank about 3am on July 19 last year.

Witnesses likened the attack to a king hit.

They said the blow was delivered with such force that it unbalanced Ring.

The knocked-out man fell face first to the footpath and was unconscious for several minutes.

The man was taken by ambulance to hospital where he was treated for a fracture to the base of the skull, numerous cuts to the face requiring 21 stitches and future plastic surgery, seven broken teeth that required capping and a broken nose.

Ring, an insulation installer who lived in Wattle Street, Tullibigeal, at the time he was charged pleaded guilty to one count of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm.

It is believed Ring now lives in Wagga.

Ring's attack on a man was sparked by Ring's anger over a friend of the man planting a kiss on the cheek of Ring's girlfriend in a nearby hotel.

The kisser was chased out of the hotel by a friend of Ring's.

They eventually ended up near the taxi rank, where the victim's friend saw him standing, and called for help.

As the victim started running towards his friend, witnesses saw Ring run up behind the man and punch him in the back of the head.

The witnesses, including two nurses, rushed to the victim's aid as he lay motionless on the ground.