NEW FACES By Anson Wainwright David Nyika
“It was more an accumulation of punches, but it was a left rip to the body that put him down,” Nyika told The Ring. “We had expected to break him down in Rounds 4, 5 and 6 as opposed to 2, 3 and finishing him in 4. That was kind of a light bulb moment for me, where I felt like I did exactly what I was supposed to do, given the quality of opponent in front of me.” WORST NIGHT: The 29-year- old was overconfident in his third fight (UD 5 Karim Maatalla) in June 2022. “The Karim Maatalla fight was a bit more of a test than I expected,” he admitted. “Karim had a pretty ordinary record (2-1, 2 KOs) and I was starting to believe my own hype a little bit, coming from [training alongside Tyson Fury], putting a few dents in some big characters in the U.K. and coming back and expecting to do well. “I was trying to punch holes in Karim, not knowing him very well. I found out pretty quickly that he was super tough.” Despite the miscalculation, Nyika says working with pro boxer-turned- trainer Noel Thornberry has been crucial to his own transition from the amateurs. “Starting to work with Noel, I realized I was developing a style that was going to take me all the way.” WHAT’S NEXT: It should be noted that Nyika’s most recent fight (in mid-September) was a step up against former light heavyweight title challenger Tommy Karpency (31-9-1, 19 KOs). Yes, the American is now 38, past his prime and has been relatively inactive, but he’s an experienced southpaw who has shared the ring with five world titleholders. The tantalizing question for the distant future is whether the 6-foot-6 New Zealander could take a shot at heavyweight. At the time of publication, however, he had nothing scheduled. WHY HE’S A PROSPECT: As a standout amateur, Nyika won gold at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and lost to the eventual silver and gold medalists at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships, respectively. He won a bronze medal at the
BEST NIGHT: Nyika shined on the big stage while bludgeoning the previously unbeaten Michael Seitz to a fourth-round knockout on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk- Tyson Fury I. He had his chin tested early on while holding off a bullish Seitz, but he stamped his authority on the fight once he realized his German opponent couldn’t hurt him. Despite Nyika’s substantial height and reach – things that would allow him to fight from a safer distance – he was eager to get in close and do damage.
Age: 29 Birthplace: Hamilton, New Zealand Weight class: Cruiserweight Height/reach: 6-foot-6 (198 cm)/79 inches (201 cm) Amateur record: 85-13 Turned pro: 2021 Pro record: 10-0 (9 knockouts) Trainer: Noel Thornberry Manager: Noel Thornberry Promoter: Duco Events and Thornberry Promotions Instagram: @davidnyika
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