That looks like it hurts.

Two giraffes can be seen battling it out in a wild image captured by a photographer.

The two long-necked animals were fighting so vigorously for "alpha male" status that one of their heads appears to be bent backward at a painful angle.

According to SWNS, Paul Mahagi, 39, photographed the two giraffes on Saturday in Meru County in Kenya, Africa.

Two giraffes fighting to be the alpha male bash their necks together. (SWNS)

"The two male giraffes were fighting to become the alpha male. It's quite rare to see and really brutal to watch," Mahagi said.

"You could hear the noises of the cracking when they hit their necks," he said. "One huge smack sent one of the giraffe's necks back on itself. It looked really painful."