Future Usyk fight mentioned after Jai Opetaia smashes David Nyika
A proper tear-up in Australia ends with title challenger out cold
Minutes after dispatching David Nyika in devastating fashion, Jai Opetaia almost cracked a smile as he stood next to promoter Eddie Hearn, lapping up the adoration of the Gold Coast Convention Centre crowd.
Opetaia was given a decent tussle for four rounds from challenger David Nyika. Once the defending IBF cruiserweight champion found his range, the shots started landing clean and naive Nyika was left initially disorganised, soon to be unconscious, as a left hook sent him face first in the fourth.
There is still more to come from gangly Nyika, who rose, dazed and confused from the brutal finish. He was confident and competitive for the third of the fight it lasted, and with a little more nuance to his work the 29-year-old can come again.
This whole event, performed in front of a sell-out crowd of around 6,000, was all about the champion returning home for the first time since dethroning the excellent Mairis Briedis back in 2022.
That was a brawl indeed, fought with bloody noses and broken jaws. This one wasn't as gruelling and even more decisive, but still a “dog fight”, as the champion later described.
When Opetaia’s original opponent, mandatory challenger Huseyin Cinkara, pulled out, Nyika gamely stepped in. While not a keep-busy effort, this was a nice hot bowl of soup before the main course, which is hopefully served in May: a unification with WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez.
‘Zurdo’ was called out by Opetaia, while Eddie Hearn addressed the interviewer’s mention of an eventual move up to heavyweight. Some feel the Aussie could be a small dangerman in the land of the giants, similar to the reigning heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.
After unifying the entire cruiserweight division, Usyk moved up to cement his all-time great status by beating Tyson Fury twice. Becoming undisputed cruiserweight king would massively enhance Opetaia’s credibility as he ascends to a possible Usyk challenge in 18 months to two years. Whether Usyk will still be around to accommodate him is another matter.
Justis Huni gets his job done on the Opetaia-Nyika undercard
Justis Huni closed in on a potential clash of unbeatens against Moses Itauma by smashing away podgy South African Shaun Potgieter in two rounds. The WBO Interim title could be on the line if the Itauma bout is solidified.
Heavyweight prospect Teremoana Jr received even less resistance from Germany’s Osasu Otobo who got floored with a round one left hook and showed little inclination to carry on.
About Steve…
Current existence: Online editor at Boxing News Magazine.
Previous lives: Author (8 books), podcaster (500+ eps), scriptwriter for Motivedia channel, newspaper journalist, copywriter & educator.
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