Jai Opetaia: Cruiserweight world champion knocks out David Nyika in fourth round
World champion Jai Opetaia retains his IBF lightweight title with a brutal fourth-round knockout victory over David Nyika in Australia.
In arguably the biggest fight in trans-Tasman history, 29-year-old homegrown Opetaia knocked New Zealander Nyika down with an uppercut at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Center in Queensland.
Nika, 29, stood up with just over a minute left in the fourth round. Opetaia unleashed another onslaught before finishing the fight with a thundering left hook.
The challenger needed to be treated on the canvas before walking out of the arena to the applause of the 6,000-strong crowd.
“He came into the fight two weeks early. He came here to fight. He gave me a fight. I respect that,” said Opetaia, who has now won all 27 of his professional fights.
The Sydney-born boxer has called for a unification bout with Mexico’s WBA and WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez, with promoter Eddie Hearn suggesting Opetaia could move up to the title within 18 months Heavyweight, against world champion Oleksandr Usyk.
“We have to strive for greatness,” Hearn said. “I believe he’s the only one who can really fight Alexander.”
