Kiwi boxer David Nyika has posted a video of himself embracing Australian rival Jai Opetaia, whom he describes as a “different kind of beast”, after his brutal knockout defeat on the Gold Coast in the early hours of this morning.
Nyika, challenging for Opetaia’s IBF world cruiserweight title on three weeks’ notice, was left unconscious on the canvas late in the fourth round at the Convention Centre at Broadbeach, sparking fears for his health from the broadcast team and those closest to him.
Australian world cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia has retained his titles by knocking New Zealander David Nyika out cold in the fourth round of their bout on the Gold Coast early this morning. (Source: DAZN) (Source: Other)
Opetaia, known as a ruthlessly hard puncher, caught Nyika with a straight left hand as the New Zealander was tangled on the ropes after only just recovering from an earlier knockdown in the round.
Nyika was attended to by his team for more than five minutes but got to his feet and left the ring under his own steam, allaying some fears.
And his video, posted on his Instagram account, represented more good news. In what appears to be Opetaia’s dressing room, the pair thank each other for the fight, with Nyika saying: “You’re a different kind of beast, bro.”
1News has contacted Nyika's team for comment.
Nyika, aggressive from the first bell against the undefeated Opetaia, had blood streaming from his nose after the first knockdown as the Aussie connected with two short uppercuts, and his face was battered and bruised at the end of his first defeat in 11 professional bouts.
He had some success with his go-forward tactics and clearly his team felt that was the way to go against a fighter who must be regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world, but some will question whether making use of his superior height and reach while fighting on the outside could have bought him some time at least.
In a press conference afterwards, Opetaia said: "He's a great fighter. I don't think he'll get the credit he deserves.
"He caught me with a good shot. He spoke a lot in the build-up... I thought he was talking sh*t to be honest, but he came out and he showed heart. I have nothing but respect for David Nyika."
Nyika, 29, now presumably faces at least three our four months’ recovery time but for Opetaia new challenges are only just around the corner.
He is likely to fight Mexican Gilberto Ramirez in May to further unite the cruiserweight titles and promoter Eddie Hearn stated after his triumph that he may be the only man to dethrone WBO, WBA and WBC heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, a former undisputed cruiserweight champion himself.
David Nyika brutally knocked out as Jai Opetaia reigns supreme
Kiwi Nyika went on the attack on the Gold Coast but his Aussie rival retained his world cruiserweight titles with an emphatic win in the fourth round.
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Nyika, ranked 10th in the world by the IBF before the fight, accepted the opportunity at late notice due to an injury to Opetaia’s scheduled opponent but had already been training for a fight against a different opponent on the card.
No one else in the top 10 of the IBF wanted to fight Opetaia – a measure of the respect and fear the division has towards a 29-year-old with 21 knockouts on his resume and the world at his feet.
