By: Sean Crose
The ten-0 David Niyka walked into the ring in Australia on Wednesday hoping to carry the IBF cruiserweight title from the extremely lauded, 26-0 Jai Opetaia. It merely wasn’t meant to be. The taller Niyka began off aggressively within the first, flicking a formidable jab in addition to overhand rights and lefts to the physique. For his personal half, the defending champion remained assured of his abilities, measuring his opponent in order that when he landed, he landed with impact. Certainly, Opetaia’s left thundered house within the remaining seconds of the spherical.
The second noticed Niyka land a strong flash uppercut. Opetaia, nonetheless, began to dominate the vary. He additionally landed nicely whereas in shut with the assured challenger. Positive sufficient, Opetaia nailed Niyka with a potent left. He discovered a house for that left increasingly often because the spherical wore on. Opetaia certainly seemed to have maybe taken management of the battle. By the tip of the third, Niyka was throwing much less often than he had been. Nonetheless, it was a respectable battle that was being waged within the ring. The truth is, Niyka was capable of tag Opeaia in direction of the bell.
Not that it in the end mattered, for issues got here to a violent finish within the fourth. The primary thirty seconds of the spherical have been goal apply for the champion. It was clear he needed to finish the battle early. A frighteningly highly effective uppercut despatched the challenger down with a bit over a minute left within the chapter. Niyka bravely obtained to his toes, however he ought to have stayed down. As soon as the ref waved Opataia ahead, the defending champion had homicide in his eyes. He stepped to Niyka and subsequently carried out a Jack Demspey to the challenger’s Jess Willard.
The referee properly stopped the battle earlier than Niyka hit the could, however the challenger laid flat on his again for a number of minutes surrounded by officers. Happily, Nikya was ultimately capable of get again to his toes and stroll out of the ring. It had all been a daunting factor to observe. Then once more, boxing is a daunting sport. “He took the battle on three weeks discover,” Opetaia stated of his fallen opponent afterward. “He got here right here to battle…I take my hat off to David.” A category conclusion to a violent affair. Now the query is whether or not or not Opetaia is ready to unify your entire cruiserweight division.
“Ramirez,” Opetai known as kiddingly in a sing-song voice to fellow cruiserweight titlist Zurdo Ramirez, “we’re coming for the belts.”
