IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia says Davis Nyika is trying to finish what he’s trying to achieve with his career and he won’t let him do it on Wednesday night at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, Australia.
A drained Opetaia (26-0, 20 KOs) seemed a bit taken aback by the intensity Nyika (10-0, 9 KOs) displayed during their weigh-in showdown. He thinks Nyika, 29, plans things at home beforehand, and that’s not his style.
The Challenger tries to gain an advantage to win his match because he knows he is facing what many fans believe is the King of the Cruiserweight division. Nyika doesn’t have the experience or hype for his career like Opetaia, but that doesn’t mean he can’t win.
“Trying to finish me off”
He catches Jai at the perfect time, with him starting to show the pressure of making weight and having fought a grueling rematch with former IBF cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis last May. Nyika has the size, strength and hunger to win this matchup if he can get past Opetaia.
“I didn’t expect that either. This was his little one. I know that kid goes home and plans things in his head what he says. Who knows? I don’t give af***,” said Jai Opetaia to Boxing King Mediatalking about his face off at the weigh in with David Nyika.
“I never abused anyone. I never talked about anyone. I said I live here. That’s what I do. I’m talking about myself. I never hurt anyone. He’s still a good dude, but very intense in there. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves.
“This is his chance and he’s trying to finish what I’m trying to do. So, everything is on the line. I don’t know mate. That’s strange to hear,” Opetaia said when told that some said “his aura is causing them a stir.”
Aura of Intimidation
Nyika wanted to show that he was not intimidated by Opetaia like the others, so he got in his face, telling him that he was coming to win this match. He is projecting a knockout victory and it will be interesting to see if he can do that against Jai. If he does, he will upset Opetaia and his promoter Eddie Hearn for bouts against Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez and Oleksandr Usyk,
“I’m just focused on myself, trying to win these games and move on in life. I hope they’re good and make you go down and do something,” Opetaia said.
“I met Mike Tyson. I have too much respect for Mike Tyson to put myself through this, and it gives me the creeps. So what does that say? So, I don’t know what to say,” Opetaia said.
