Sorry to hear of your issue with that individual Ray. We do share the planet with an awful lot of people, and a very small number of them are not very socially adapted.
Cyclists seem to attract a fair few of these. Likewise those individuals who fish off the canal banks.
Navigating a narrow boat is a gentle pastime with many a friendly exchange with other boaters and walkers. But sadly it's is not that unusual to be told to eff off by a fisherman.
So, with luck, your assailant meet one of those and they threw each other in the cut