Opetaia Vs Nyika: “He’s trying to end what I’m trying to do!”

IBF lightweight champion Jai Opetaia says Davis Nyika is trying to end what he is trying to accomplish with his career, and he won’t let him do it on Wednesday night at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, Australia.

An exhausted-looking Opetaia (26-0, 20 KOs) seemed surprised by the intensity shown by Nyika (10-0, 9 KOs) during the weigh-in. He thinks Nyika, 29, plans things at home in advance, and that’s not her style.

The challenger is trying to gain an advantage to win his fight because he knows he is facing what many fans believe is the king of the Cruiserweight division. Nyika doesn’t have the experience or enthusiasm for her career like Opetaia, but that doesn’t mean she can’t win.

“He’s trying to finish me off”

It’s reaching Jai at an ideal time, with him starting to show the strain of making weight and having fought in a grueling rematch with former IBF lightweight champion Mairis Briedis last year in May. Nyika has the size, power, and hunger to win this fight if she can defeat Opetaia.

“I didn’t expect it either. This was his little one. I know this guy goes home and plans things in his head what he said. Who knows? I don’t give a fuck,” Jai Opetaia told Boxing King Media about his weigh-in match with David Nyika.

“I have never spoken badly about anyone. I never talked about anyone. I said I live here. This is what I do. I’m talking about myself. I never speak badly of anyone. He’s still a good guy, but it’s very intense in there. We have a lot of pressure on ourselves.

“This is his opportunity and he’s trying to put an end to what I’m trying to do. So everything is at stake. I don’t know, man. It’s a strange thing to feel,” Opetaia said when told that some people said his “aura gives you goosebumps.”

Aura of intimidation

Nyika wanted to prove that he wasn’t as intimidated by Opetaia as the others, and that’s why he got in his face, letting him know that he was coming to win this fight. He is predicting a knockout win and it will be interesting to see if he can do that against Jai. If he does, it will upset the plans of Opetaia and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, to fight Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez and Oleksandr Usyk.

“I’m just focused on myself, trying to win these battles and move forward in life. I hope they give you goosebumps and make you get off your ass and do something,” Opetaia said.

“I met Mike Tyson. I have too much respect for Mike Tyson to engage in something like this, and it gives me goosebumps. So what does this say? So I don’t know what to say,” Opetaia said.