IBF and Ring cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia will combat alternative opponent #10 IBF-ranked David Nyika on January eighth in a Matchroom-promoted card on the Gold Coast Conference Centre, in Broadbeach. Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that Nyika shall be Opetaia’s opponent.
The 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Nyika (10-0, 9 KOs) will substitute #1 IBF Huseyin Cinkara on brief discover. Cinkra pulled out of the January eighth combat towards Opetaia on account of an ankle harm.
Opetaia Can Be Damaged
Niyika should comply with Mairis Briedis’s blueprint for giving Opetaia nightmares with nonstop strain. Of their second combat, we noticed that Opetaia hates being pressured and comes unglued when he begins taking facial injury. Briedis uncovered Opetaia in a shedding effort.
The three-year professional, Niyika, 29, works even higher as a result of he’s from New Zealand, which makes it extra fascinating for Opetaia’s Australian followers, as the 2 international locations are close by. The combat will play out nicely with Aussies and New Zealanders.
“I’ve been coaching arduous for this card, and when the chance got here to face Jai, I jumped at it,” Nyika mentioned to Stuff.co.nz. “That is the second each fighter goals of, and I’ve obtained the complete nation of New Zealand behind me.
“I understand how robust Jai is, however I’m prepared for this problem. That is my likelihood to vary my life, and I’m leaving all of it within the ring.”
Bivol-esque Problem
It’ll be fascinating to see how Niyika handles Jai Opetaia’s energy, velocity, and bivol-esque abilities. Since turning professional in 2021, he’s been preventing rudimentary opposition. Within the 2020 Olympics, Niyika was overwhelmed by Russia’s Muslim Gadzhimagomedov by a 4-1 rating. It wasn’t shut.
Lately, Niyika beat 38-year-old journeyman Tommy Karpency by a third-round knockout on September fifteenth. It’s unclear why Niyika’s administration hasn’t moved him at a quicker fee, given his in depth newbie expertise. It’s a waste of time to deliver a former newbie star like Niyika has been slowly. He ought to have already been preventing the killers.
Within the three years he’s been within the recreation, he’s gained nothing other than a top-10 rating with the IBF and a title shot as a alternative opponent. With out these, it’s attainable that Niyika can be spinning his wheels, toiling in obscurity for the subsequent three to 5 years, simply growing old.
There aren’t any actual huge names within the weight class apart from Jai Opetaia, however he’s not a family title in a lot of the world. The division wants larger names and fighters that may promote. Anyway, Opetaia vs. Niyika will do nicely of their international locations.
What a combat – Australia v New Zealand locked in!!!! Massive respect to @DavidNyika for stepping up and you realize what @jaiopetaia1 is all about! See you on the Gold Coast Jan 8! @daznboxing #OpetaiaNyika @tasmanfighters 🇦🇺 🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/oF356wY2Zo
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) December 18, 2024
January eighth DAZN Card
Jai Opetaia vs. David Nyika
Justis Huni vs. Shaun Potgeiter
Ben Mahoney vs. Fan Zhang
Austin Aokuso vs. Habib Ahmed
Max McIntyre vs. Abdulselam Saman
Billy McAllister vs. Jordan Cities
