Jai Opetaia’s disappointment with scheduled opponent, Huseyin Cinkara, pulling out of their bout didn’t last long, as New Zealander David Nyika was propelled into the vacant slot for the January 8 card.
A rivalry always adds some spice to any sporting occasion and an all-Antipodean clash is guaranteed to get the juices flowing.
This will be Opetaia’s second defence of his IBF world cruiserweight belt, although unofficially the unbeaten Aussie has held that title since July 2022 when he upset Mairis Briedis in Queensland. He had to vacate the crown prior to his lucrative win against Ellis Zorro in Riyadh in December 2023, but then recaptured the belt when meeting (and beating) Briedis for a second time last year. The Ring Magazine cruiserweight title is also up for grabs here.
Opetaia returns to the Gold Coast Convention Centre for the first time since that initial clash with Briedis three years ago. It will also be his first fight back on home soil since then, so he’s guaranteed a warm reception at the Queensland venue from his adoring fans, in an event being dubbed ‘Return of the Champion’. We last saw the impressive Opetaia outclassing Britain’s Jack Massey back in October, with the ref calling time on the fight in the 6th round. Significantly, Massey had never been stopped before, even when losing to Joseph Parker or Richard Riakporhe. That Massey victory was the 20th TKO/KO success of Opetaia’s 26-fight pro career.
Opetaia’s Kiwi opponent, David Nyika, stepped in at short notice for the fight, with Huseyin Cinkara pulling out with an ankle injury. Nyika is a relative novice in the professional ranks, with only 10 bouts under his belt. However, the Hamilton-born boxer remains unbeaten to date, and the former Olympic bronze medallist has a prestigious amateur career, where he racked up 69 victories from 83 fights. The oddsmakers have the hard-hitting New Zealander as a huge underdog for this encounter, although he did deliver the goods in style during both his 2024 outings, stopping both Michael Seitz and Tommy Karpency in the 4th and 3rd rounds, respectively, and he’s only been taken the distance once previously.
When will Jai Opetaia vs David Nyika take place?
Date Wednesday, January 8
Location Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia
Time The DAZN show starts at 6 pm AEST / 8 am GMT, 3 am ET
Main event ring walks (approx) 9 pm AEST / 11 am GMT, 6 am ET
This is Jai Opetaia’s second bout at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. The venue is located on the Gold Coast Highway in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia and was opened in June 2004 at a cost of $167 million. The centre, which is surrounded by luxurious hotels and stunning beaches, was further expanded at a cost of $40 million in early 2009. This week’s Jai Opetaia vs David Nyika card will take place in the 6,000-seat-tiered arena within the Centre. Other sports staged at the GCCEC aside from boxing include basketball, netball and MMA, and the venue is due to host volleyball matches at the 2032 Summer Olympics.
How to watch Jai Opetaia vs David Nyika
The whole fight card will be streamed live on DAZN in over 200 countries across the globe. You can watch with a DAZN subscription in most locations, although in Australia, it’s only available on DAZN PPV for $39.99 (which is a payment on top of the usual subscription cost).
You can subscribe to DAZN in Australia for $19.99 (£9.99 / US$19.99), which will commit you to an entire year of action. A flexible pass, worth $29.99-a-month (£19.99 / US$29.99), is also available, and it can be cancelled anytime. You can also pay $139.99 (£99.99 / $224.99) for the year upfront, which is the lowest cost option.
