Opetaia defends title – Nyika brutally knocked out

Jai Opetaia has confirmed his status as the world’s leading cruiserweight! In his home country of Australia, he successfully defended the IBF world championship belt against New Zealander David Nyika.

For three entertaining rounds, Australian Jai Opetaia (27-0, 21 knockouts) and his previously unbeaten challenger, David Nyika (10-1, 9 knockouts) from New Zealand, traded blows in the Gold Coast Convention Center. Both boxers were already battered when Opetaia landed the decisive left hand in the fourth round, which sent Nyika painfully and heavily to the floor. The 29-year-old remained on the mat for a worryingly long time, but eventually got back to his feet and almost left the ring on his own.

The New Zealander had accepted the fight with three weeks’ notice after the injured Hüseyin Cinkara withdrew. However, his performance was anything but disappointing. Nyika fought with the handbrake off, which could open up further opportunities for him in the future. For Opetaia, the victory was just a way station to a possible unification fight with WBA Super and WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez. This fight is expected to take place before the end of this calendar year.

Opetaia shows weaknesses

Observers of his craft increasingly consider the Australian to be as impressive a cruiserweight as Oleksandr Usyk, Evander Holyfield and David Haye, but for all the excitement the fight against Nyika brought, the performance he put in was also one of his biggest weaknesses. Nyika’s aggression, which was evident from the opening bell and partly a result of his significant size advantage, also contributed to Opetaia regularly missing his target until the fourth round.

Opetaia landed a left to the chin in the very first round, before taking a straight right soon after. The fight then became increasingly wild and both players were able to score. When the Australian failed with another right at the start of the second, it was perhaps another reminder to be more careful, at least against such an aggressive opponent, until he found his sense of timing and distance. Opetaia landed a right hand and then hurt Nyika with a left, prompting Nyika to further aggression in the exchange. At the end of round two, he hit Opetaia so hard that the latter, slightly hurt, longed for the bell.

At the start of the third, Opetaia countered another straight left-right combination, and when he hit Nyika’s body and then landed a right hook to the head, he showed the first convincing signs that he was getting the better of his opponent. Nyika’s size continued to prove a problem, however, and the raw power with which he threw his fists at the 29-year-old continued to cause Opetaia problems as it had in previous rounds.

Brutal hits seal title defense

Opetaia continued his upward trend at the start of the fourth, landing a left followed by a right and another left hook. Nyika was hit again but remained steadfast, and as Opetaia circled him with increasing skill and finally landed a right from close range, the challenger went down for the first time.

As Nyika got back to his feet and the exchange continued, two consecutive rights left Nyika trapped against the ropes and struggling to stay on his feet. Opetaia then landed a devastating left hand that immediately ended his third title defense. After the agonizing wait for Nyika to recover, the knockout victory was confirmed at 2:17 a.m. local time.

Text by Robin Josten