Life after the brutal knockout: Kiwi boxer David Nyika pledges to bounce back in style

Sunday, 16 February 2025

Relax. David Nyika is just fine. In fact the fog cleared quickly enough after his brutal knockout at the fast hands of Aussie boxing sensation Jai Opetaia for the Kiwi cruiserweight to kick into action a year-long plan to propose to the love of his life on the warm sands of Mexico.

More than that, far from being discouraged or disillusioned by his fourth-round world-title KO by red-hot Opetaia in the Gold Coast last month, the 29-year-old Hamilton-raised, now Queensland-based fighter has vowed to bounce back from his first setback in the professional ranks, confirming to the Star-Times he’s aiming for a June return to the ring..

And, for the record, that post-it note he scribbled, declaring his intention to “knock out Opetaia” is going nowhere. It remains a guiding light for a boxer who is adamant he can still achieve his world-championship ambitions.

“That post-it note doesn’t come down off my mirror,” he declared. “I’m still going to knock that dude out, man. Gimme a few more fights and I’ll be back to my winning ways.”

Part of this, of course, is Nyika’s shining positivity. The self-proclaimed “Nice Guy” of his sport burns with ambition and confidence, and he’s sure the Opetaia result, for the IBF and Ring Magazine titles, will be the making, not breaking, of him.

First things first. When the Star-Times checked in, a little over a month on from the action-packed fight that left Nyika unconscious on the canvas for minutes after the Aussie puncher’s telling finishing blow, his health was just fine.

“We went straight to hospital and got all the scans I needed,” said Nyika, confirming he suffered a “mild” concussion. “My health has always been a concern. I’ve never taken unnecessary punishment in sparring. I've never taken a shot like that. I’ve never been unconscious.

“I’m confident it’s not going to have any long-lasting effect. Within a week I was completely symptom-free. That seems pretty good, considering how bad the knockout was.”

Within 24 hours of the defeat, Nyika and longtime girlfriend Lexy Thornberry (the daughter of his trainer) were on a plane to Mexico. Soon after he was down on one knee slipping a ring on her finger, and making plans for the rest of their lives.

“I’d been planning that since March of 2023, and it was nice to know we are going to bring our two families together in a pretty special way. That was a really nice way to take myself out of my own head,” said Nyika.

Asked if he was more nervous about stepping into the ring with Opetaia or proposing to Lexy, Nyika unleashed that 1000-watt smile.

“Oh man, I’m going to be spending the rest of my life with my best friend. That never made me nervous at all. I know how she feels about me. I was way more nervous about fighting Jai. Jai is terrifying, man, Jai really is that dude.”

Niyika is also adamant he held no regrets about his decision to step in at just three weeks’ notice, when Opetaia’s original German opponent Huseyin Cinkara broke an ankle, nor his surprisingly aggressive tactics early in the fight.

“No one ever said Jai wasn’t the man. He really is the guy to beat [in the division], and putting my hand up and taking a risk, a gamble, was calculated,” reflected the Kiwi pugilist. “I’ve had people ask whether I’ve been mismanaged. No. I was at the forefront of that decision. You can’t swim without getting wet. Sometimes you go in a bit too deep.”

The attitude was similar around his decision to engage with the Aussie through the first few rounds, even rocking him with some early shots. “That was a calculated decision to sit in the pocket and let him kind of burn himself out,” added Nyika.

“I always knew the first 4-6 rounds were going to be really tough. I was ready to go really deep for this one. It was a good fight up until the end. I was doing everything I needed to do, but he landed a couple of good shots, and that’s the game.”

Nyika was adamant this was a blow he could get back up from .

“In my mind nothing has changed,” he added, confirming he had rewatched the fight several times in the 48 hours afterwards, but had now “moved on”. “I felt bad for my family and friends … I gave them a scare. I took that fight as a huge opportunity and a huge risk. But I have no regrets. It’s a learning experience, and a huge stepping-stone in my career. I’m so excited to know what I’ve got left in the tank.”

The Noel Thornberry-trained boxer hoped to be back in the ring by June on the back of a gradual ramp-up to full training. “I don’t want to skip any corners or rush anything. I was doing all the right things to become the fighter I know I can be. It’s just about being patient and going back to the drawing board.

“It’s not always sexy, but this is what it takes to be the best.”

And Nyika is adamant being cruiserweight world champ remains an achievable goal, even if he has to get past Opetaia to get there.

“I have no doubt when I get my chance again I’ll be better prepared, Fitness is going to be so important. I need to get those numbers up, and now I’m not protecting an 0, I might have more success finding good fights.”

The Kiwi, of course, has mad respect for Opetaia, whom he believes will not only unify the division, but could step up a class if he sets his mind to it. There is talk of a super matchup between the Aussie and Oleksandr Usyk eventually playing out.

“He’s up there,” said Nyika. “I don’t feel like he made a statement by beating someone like myself. He’s ticking all the right boxes, and has got too much for anyone else in the cruiserweight division. I’d love to see him and Usyk go at it.”

Meanwhile Nyika is backing stablemate Joseph Parker to defeat Daniel Dubois in their world title fight in Riyadh next Sunday.

“Dubois is evolving at a rate at which no other heavyweight is improving. But I feel like Joseph and Andy [Lee] will maximise every ounce of potential, talent and hard work Joseph has and put it in the ring. I know how diligently Joe has prepared. They will go in with a game-plan that will give him the advantage over someone still quite young in the mind.

“Dubois is an absolute monster athlete but I think Joe is going to have too many wits for him.”