>>I say he was askin’ for it.<<
There IS a legal concept known as “fighting words.” Its implementation and interpreation vary by jurisdiction.
Insult my Mom (when she was alive) or my wife, and even if I am a little guy I will put you in the pavement or die trying.
Not "you're fat"
I remember seeing Judge Judy tell a woman that when you go looking for trouble don’t be surprised if you find it.
It seems that a guy had broken up with the woman and she wouldn’t accept it so she and a friend decided to harass him by following him around on his UPS route.
At one stop, the ex girlfriend threatened the guy with a knife. The guy took one of the old school credit card readers and applied it to the woman’s face Louisville slugger style. Broke her nose, cheekbone, jaw and knocked out some teeth.
He was charged with assault with intent but acquitted. The ex was suing for some of the medical bills. Judge Judy told her that “You thought I would give you a break because I’m a female but you couldn’t be more wrong. You went looking for trouble and you found it.”