Integrity flap at Toronto city hall   Play video Toronto city councillors close to brawl

TORONTO — It turns out City Hall was one tap away from a brawl on Wednesday.

Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti says he was ready to hit Coun. Gord Perks if he touched him during their toe-to-toe shouting match at city council in front of a swarm of media.

"He would have been down in two seconds," Mammoliti told The Dean Blundell Show on 102.1 The Edge on Thursday morning when asked what would have happened if Perks laid a finger on him. "I would have kicked him in the nuts and the face at the same time."

He added, "I'm not in this game to scrap physically, I am in the game to scrap with my mouth — because that's what we do best — and bring out the issues, but if he wants to call me on."

Mammoliti also laughed about the faceoff with Perks.

"First of all, I'm a lover not a fighter," Mammoliti told the radio hosts.

"At one point I was thinking, can I love this guy? And the answer is no, but perhaps I should have offered him a Tic Tac."

Listening back to audio of the encounter, Mammoliti admitted it sounded "kinda funny."

"This isn't the first time he's lost his cool," Mammoliti told the hosts, recalling the time Perks swore at Coun. Josh Colle on the floor of council.

"I think he's got anger management issues and I actually suggested he go see a counsellor after that."

The hosts poked fun at Mayor Rob Ford and Perks.

"With this track record it sounds like he can be the next mayor," they joked.

The run-in brought back memories to Mammoliti of his days as a bouncer.

"As professional as I try to be, there was a part of me that said: 'Why don't you try it?'" he said.

Mammoliti said he loves the fact the showdown was caught on camera.

"They are continually calling us (the right) the bullies, but now people are starting to see what they (the left) are all about,"

Mammoliti stressed councillors "are supposed to be professionals."

He said Perks had to apologize for the confrontation because he would have gone to the integrity commissioner.

"She saw it or heard it for sure," Mammoliti said.

One of the hosts then asked if the integrity commissioner is "good looking."

"Actually, she's pretty good looking," Mammoliti said. "She rides a (motorcycle) as well."