Nyika’s path to a world title shot
David Nyika, a Kiwi cruiserweight boxer, has earned a shot at the vacant IBF cruiserweight belt after defeating fellow New Zealander Floyd Masson in a world title eliminator held in Auckland. The victory came by unanimous decision, with judges scoring the bout 115-111, 115-112, and 115-112 in Nyika’s favour. This win positions Nyika to challenge undefeated Englishman Viddal Riley for the title.
The IBF belt became vacant in March after Jai Opetaia was stripped of the title following his signing with Zuffa Boxing. Nyika had previously faced Opetaia for the same title less than two years ago, taking that fight on short notice with 18 days’ preparation, and was stopped by him in Queensland.
Promoter David Higgins has indicated that efforts will be made to host Nyika’s potential world title fight against Riley in Auckland. Higgins, known for his role in orchestrating Joseph Parker’s WBO world heavyweight title run in Auckland in 2016, believes bringing the cruiserweight title fight to New Zealand is a realistic possibility. He noted that the cruiserweight division differs from the heavyweight division, suggesting it might be less difficult to arrange. Nyika himself acknowledged interest from the Auckland Council in hosting the event.
Before the fight, Nyika outlined his career aspirations, stating his primary goal was to secure the IBF cruiserweight title, followed by the WBO belt. He expressed interest in unifying titles, potentially leading to a showdown with Mexican-American fighter David Benavidez, who had previously been considered for a fight against Opetaia.
The eliminator fight itself saw Masson start strong in the first round, landing body shots and a left hand. Nyika increased his activity in the second, connecting with a straight right hand. The third round saw Masson working behind his jab and landing clean shots to the body. The back-and-forth nature continued into the fourth, with Nyika focusing more on body shots. Masson was later docked a point after his mouthpiece came out for a third time, leaving him needing a knockout to win, which he could not achieve.
Vatuvei’s TKO victory and future challenge
In another event on the same fight night, former NRL star Manu Vatuvei secured a first-round TKO victory over Rene Ranger. This win sets up a potential clash between Vatuvei and another former NRL star, Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
Vatuvei, who was featured on the main card of the David Nyika versus Floyd Masson event, ended the fight with just over one minute remaining in the first round. Ranger, making his professional debut, was unable to withstand Vatuvei’s power. Vatuvei landed an uppercut, followed by a straight left hand, and then a clean right, prompting the referee to stop the fight.
Following his victory, Vatuvei confirmed he is scheduled to fight Matt Matich at the end of the month. Beyond that, a fight against Asofa-Solomona is being discussed. Vatuvei had previously stated his willingness to fight the former Storm player. After improving his professional record to 3-0, Vatuvei reiterated his readiness, stating that Asofa-Solomona would need to travel to New Zealand for the fight.
David Letele, who Vatuvei defeated in his professional debut and who has since become his mentor, entered the ring post-fight to encourage Vatuvei to challenge Asofa-Solomona directly. Vatuvei’s boxing career marks a new chapter for the retired Warriors winger, who has spoken about using boxing as a means of rebuilding his life after a period of incarceration.
Source: foxsports.com.au
