David Nyika had the whole lot to lose and nothing to achieve.
It by no means prevented ‘Mr Good Man’ from preventing like a person with the whole lot to show.
The homecoming was accomplished when Nyika stopped late substitute Tommy Karpency within the third spherical. Two knockdowns pressured the tip at 1:37 of spherical three Saturday at Viaduct Occasions Centre in Auckland, New Zealand.
Nyika (10-0, 9 knockouts) fought in his delivery nation for the primary time since his Feb. 2021 professional debut. It was initially resulting from come versus Blake Caparello (32-4-1, 15KOs). That struggle was scrapped when Caparello examined optimistic for a banned substance.
Karpency (31-9-1, 17 KOs) stepped in on quick discover to assist save the present. Nyika was as appreciative of that as he was of the prospect to struggle on dwelling soil.
“Hats off to you for popping out at quick discover,” mentioned Nyika. “This implies loads to me. This can be a dream come true.”
Nyika was the sharper of the 2 all through the struggle. The 29-year-old cruiserweight prospect, who claimed bronze on the Tokyo Olympics three years in the past, reddened the proper facet of Karpency’s ribcage with left hooks by way of two rounds.
Karpency, a 38-year-old southpaw from Adah, Pennsylvania, got here to struggle. Nonetheless, he was outclassed and likewise preventing one division heavy. The career-long gentle heavyweight was simply 191 ¾ kilos at Friday’s weigh-in and regarded each bit the smaller man on Saturday.
Early within the third spherical, Nyika snaked in a left hook to the physique that hit Karpency flush. The customer went down, in apparent ache. Karpency beat the depend, however the writing was on the wall.
A proper hand to the temple dropped him once more and his nook actually threw within the towel.
Karpency was sport and sure made many followers not solely together with his efficiency, but in addition together with his post-fight interview.
“I make no excuses. The quick discover had nothing to do with it. He’s a tall rangy man and he hit me with good physique pictures,” mentioned Karpency.
He added: “He’s going to be a future world champion.”
In a enjoyable heavyweight slugfest, Hemi ‘The Warmth’ Ahio (23-1, 17 KOs) survived some rocky moments to outlast Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu (16-6-2, 12 KOs) through break up resolution over 10 heats.
Samoan-born Australian Opelu, 30, was very a lot within the struggle by way of the primary 5 rounds as he regarded to repeat his October 2022 victory over Ahio that occurred on the undercard of the Devin Haney vs. George Kambosos Jr rematch in Melbourne, Australia.
But it surely was the 34-year-old Ahio from Auckland, New Zealand who completed the stronger of the 2, displaying his classier boxing to edge the bout by scores of 99-91, 94-96 and 96-94.
The Duco Occasions card was broadcast on DAZN. The present additionally marked the promotional debut of present top-rated heavyweight Joseph Parker (35-3, 23 KOs).
Australian-based boxing journalist Anthony Cocks has been masking the game for over 20 years for numerous print and on-line publications.
