SCOUTING REPORT CARD: Boxing Skills: B Nyika has good skills and solid fundamentals, which come from his amateur pedigree, but he needs to make the most of his size and jab to reach the “A” level. Power: B+ He gets good leverage and snap on his punches, but we have yet to see how that translates at a higher level. Speed: B He is a good athlete with fluid punch flow and movement. Potential: A He ticks all the boxes as a fighter and definitely looks like he could make the step to becoming a cruiserweight attraction in his home region. From there, the world opens up. Ring IQ: A He’s smart, and you can see that by talking to him and understanding that while many would blindly follow the Fury camp, he knew it wasn’t for him and went his own way. In the ring, that self-awareness shows as an ability to acknowledge and learn quickly from his mistakes. Overall Package: B+ He’s a well-rounded, good boxer with solid power for a cruiserweight. He appears to take a good shot and is one of if not the brightest hope in the cruiserweight division coming through.
country’s favorite pastime – rugby – but it wasn’t for him. “I was just too small,” he said with a tinge of irony, given the specimen he has become. “I’d always had a fascination with martial arts. My dad was a bit of an encyclopedia when it comes to boxing. He grew up watching all the greats, but his dad would never let him take part in a combat sport, so when I started showing interest, he was really excited to be a part of that process of finding a gym and getting to know a coach.” With that in mind, he began his journey at 14. “I always felt like I had a point to prove, having an older brother to chase around and always compete against,” he said. “If we were at the dining table, I was trying to eat more. If we were running around the block, I was trying to beat him. Having that chaser’s mentality, I think that’s what drove me to be the competitive athlete I am today.” After turning professional in February 2021, he quickly headed to the UK and joined Tyson Fury’s training camp. His six-month stay was a turning point. “Going there and training like the world champ, it was helpful, but it wasn’t for me,” he said. “I love to run. I love the heat; I need the heat. The cold over there got to my bones. Being in the warm Queensland Australia weather under the sun, on the roads, I run about 40 kilometers a week. I can run and I get so much from it. ... Running with bigger guys, I didn’t feel I was maximizing that special attribute. “Having the available sparring, the body sparring, the whole mentality in that camp was they are fighting men. I felt like I was more of a competitor. Training with the Furys, I realized right away this is the fight game. This is the hurt game. Tyson pulled me up really, really early and let me know where I was lacking, and a lot of it was my intent around fighting and how and why you do what you do. I’m starting to realize this is not tiddlywinks. I’m not trying to outscore guys, I’m trying to out-man them and break them down.” Nyika has relocated to Gatton, a rural town in northeast Queensland. His partner is his coach’s daughter, Lexi. He works part-time as a caretaker at an apartment complex, which keeps him grounded. He enjoys the quiet country life and enjoys spending time outside in the warm weather tending to his garden.
2020 Tokyo Olympics. Nyika has had excellent sparring with Chris Billam-Smith, Lawrence Okolie and Joshua Buatsi, among others, and has been in camp with Tyson Fury, stablemate Joseph Parker and rising force Martin Bakole. He has also spent a lot of time with Ring and IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, who he first met at the 2011 Junior World Championships. “I think the next year he went to the London Olympics,” Nyika said. “I was a late bloomer. I was still a child back then. He’s been a unit since a very young age. I’ve matured like a fine wine, if I don’t say so myself. (laughs) “I definitely see him as a future opponent. We don’t spar anymore. I think I’ve got enough intel and insight to know where his strengths and weaknesses are. I believe Jai is without doubt the best cruiserweight in the world today, and I’m on my way to disrupt the party.” Similar to others who fought at cruiserweight before going on to success at heavyweight, Nyika is able to fight at a high pace. He is an avid runner and uses that to build his endurance. He has the height and frame to easily match the men in boxing’s top division, but he still has much to do and achieve at 200 pounds. WHY HE’S A SUSPECT: The most apparent issue is that Nyika gives up space and allows his opponent inside, where he trades with them. While that makes for more exciting fights, he should perhaps temper the urge and explore keeping his opponents honest behind a strong jab. We’ve seen it, and it could be a very, very difficult tool for his opponents to get past, if honed. “I think the biggest challenge moving forward is believing in myself, understanding and truly believing in the hard work I’m putting in,” said Nyika. “I think it’s a Kiwi thing. We don’t like to stick our head above others, and at some point you have to actually recognize your own strength and power to change the world, and I think recognizing that will be the difference. Moving forward, I want to keep building on my own belief.” STORYLINES: Nyika hails from Hamilton in New Zealand’s North Island. In his first year of high school, he tried his
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