Behind-the-scenes at Jai Opetaia vs. David Nyika

Jai Opetaia successfully defended his world cruiserweight strap with victory over David Nyika in Australia. The fight was decorated by moments of drama that reminded us what a ferocious, exciting – and sometimes flawed – talent that Opetaia is. What came before was interesting, too; our man on the ground, Declan Warrington, brings you the full, behind-the-scenes, story of a memorable week.

Monday, January 6

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – There had existed fears, when Jai Opetaia-Huseyin Cinkara was made for the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Queensland, Australia, on January 8, that it wouldstruggle to attract the attention those involved had hoped. It is the Australian summer, which means so many nationals prioritising travelling with their families during the school holidays – including to venues like the Gold Coast and the nearby Surfers Paradise and Brisbane. It is also a time when overseas tourists fly to Australia for what would represent, for them, winter sunshine – and January 8 is three days before the Gold Coast hosts the Magic Millions, one of the most significant events in the Australian horse racing calendar.

In an attempt to promote Magic Millions, free-to-attend, non-competitive “races” – Zara Phillips of the British royal family is among the jockeys – are taking place on one of the beaches at Surfers Paradise on Tuesday morning, just hours before the ceremonial weigh-in for Wednesday’s cruiserweight world-title fight at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.

Others have gathered to attend the sales of the finest breeders and trainers from Sydney and Melbourne, and they are prepared to spend millions of dollars on the horses considered among the finest in the world. Racing, ultimately – after mining and hospitality – is the third biggest industry Australia has.

Which perhaps makes the considerable interest in Wednesday’s IBF title fight between the champion Opetaia and David Nyika of New Zealand – Nyika replaced the less appealing Cinkara when in December injury ruled Cinkara out – a particularly valuable insight into Opetaia’s status in his home country at the time of his first

fight here since July 2022. Victory that night meant Opetaia succeeding Mairis Briedis as the world’s leading cruiserweight, and four further victories since then mean that his reputation has continued to grow.

The political landscape surrounding boxing and broadcasting in Australia means that fights involving Tim Tszyu, who has the support of the Fox Sports network, receive the most coverage. Opetaia’s broadcaster, the streaming service DAZN, also has the challenge of attempting to resist the slower WiFi services that exist in this corner of the world. 

Opetaia-Nyika, however – no doubt helped by the rivalry that exists between Australia and New Zealand, and Nyika’s ability to speak English – sold out ahead of schedule, contributing to the 4,800 capacity (3,800 general attendance and 1,000 corporate) being extended and a further 250 tickets going on sale on Monday, and all 250 being expected to sell.

Tuesday, January 7

A sense of optimism and enthusiasm surrounds Eddie Hearn on Australia’s Gold Coast. It is similar, perhaps, to when he first emerged as an alternative to his long-term rival Frank Warren in Britain in the first years of the previous decade, when in so many respects he represented the poster boy of boxing promotion that Sky Sports – then the only serious broadcaster of the sport in the UK – believed they had been waiting for.

Hearn, then all energy and bravado – and evolving as a communicator – was, in a similar number of respects, embraced. It was when his increasing influence troubled both his rivals and observers of boxing that the enthusiasm that had existed for him was tested, and was replaced among some by what can best be described as fatigue. Matchroom’s expansion into the US and the grand plans he spoke about for both his promotional organisation and broadcasters DAZN meant that that fatigue – and for the sake of balance it is important to recognise that regardless of attitudes towards him, in both territories there has never once been a decreased desire to hear his thoughts – was more immediate.

No such fatigue exists for him in Queensland, Australia. His presence – caricature and

all – has been welcomed as a symbol of the significance of Wednesday’s IBF cruiserweight title fight between Jai Opetaia and David Nyika, and has heightened the sense of occasion that appears to surpass that that surrounded Opetaia-Mairis Briedis in July 2022, and several fights involving the figurehead of Australian boxing, Tim Tszyu.

Liam Paro-Brock Jarvis, in October 2022, represented Matchroom’s first fight in Australia. They have a stake in Opetaia, Conor Wallace, Justis Huni and Teremoana Jnr – all are co-promoted by Tasman Fighters – and also promote, among others, Paro, Skye Nicolson and George Kambosos Jnr. Hearn, similarly, has spoken of promoting up to five further dates in Australia in 2025.

Wednesday’s is another with buy-in from Riyadh Season. If the branding on the marketing material promoting Opetaia-Nyika provides one consistent reminder of the reach of Saudi Arabia’s tentacles, both Hearn and those in town on behalf of DAZN regularly provide others.  

“His Excellency Turki Alalshikh” was referenced, more than once, at Monday’s press conference. Hearn mentioned him again in conversation with BoxingScene, and again shortly afterwards at a Q&A in which he spoke about his willingness to answer phone calls from him at 3am when he agrees to then join Zoom calls – and even went as far as describing him as “one of the funniest people I’ve met”.

Wednesday, January 8

The entertaining contest between the IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia and David Nyika represented the first big fight of 2025, and also concluded with what is certain to be remembered as one of the knockouts of the year.

BoxingScene, two days earlier, having heard Eddie Hearn promise a “possible fight of the year”, had wondered how many more times he would lean on that same tired line in 2025, but on this occasion its use aged well.

Both fighters’ fearless willingness to trade made an early finish inevitable, but the knockout of Nyika that followed represented one of the most concerning BoxingScene had seen. Up to that point – and the longer it took for him to recover, concerns grew – their fight had been the advert for Australian boxing that co-promoters Matchroom and Tasman Fighters had hoped.

On Wednesday evening, Gold Coast Convention Centre not only appeared sold out, but full of invested spectators who generated the nature of atmosphere that complemented Opetaia-Nyika and the celebration of Australia culture that was to unfold. Among the music that could be heard playing between fights and rounds was that of the popular Australian DJ Fisher, a veteran of residencies at the Ibiza nightclub Hï that is widely considered the finest in the world, and the iconic John Williams’ song True Blue, which is about what it means to be a true Australian and features a line about sticking by your “mate” in a fight. 

The popular English heavyweight Johnny Fisher was sat at a corporate table close to BoxingScene, and demonstrated partly why he is so popular on the other side of the world. There was little hiding that he was struggling with jet lag, but he very willingly spoke to those he didn’t know on that same table, and could soon be heard answering questions about whether he required a sponsor.

There were also appearances made by recognizable former rugby league players, but the first time everyone in the arena appeared truly invested was when the heavyweight Teremoana Jnr made his way to the ring.

Whether or not Teremoana Jnr, who caught the eye at Paris 2024, will eventually justify the hype surrounding him remains unclear, but he is a natural showman

who relishes being in the ring and performing, and he is therefore both loose and composed – both qualities that will serve him well. After his victory was confirmed, Teremoana Jnr, a Cook Islander relishing his moment, then performed a dance that was perhaps comparable to the Haka of New Zealand’s celebrated rugby team.

Samoan dancers and singers were then used to perform before the start of the next fight, at light middleweight between Ben Mahoney and Fan Zhang, which was threatened at the end of the seventh round by a brief power cut caused by lightning striking near the venue, following days when the Gold Coast had known only intense sunshine and heat.

The Moloney twins Jason and Andrew were soon among those sat near Johnny Fisher, and therefore among those forced to endure the strains of Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline, an anthem in Australia in a non-sporting context beyond the extent to which it has long been recognized for accompanying sporting occasions in the UK.

Refreshingly, for all that a sporting rivalry exists between Australia and New Zealand – and Nyika represented the villain of the piece through being present to challenge the poster boy Opetaia – New Zealand’s national anthem, played before Nyika made his way to the ring, was respected and not booed. Nyika, when he made his way to the ring, was then booed loudly, demonstrating how very possible it is to express support for a fighter without resorting to the disrespectful, vulgar act of booing their national anthem, too. The fight crowds that exist in Britain are often described as the envy of the world – the celebrated master of ceremonies Michael Buffer is among those who repeatedly relishes the noise they generate – but in 2025 the reality is that they often embarrass those involved in the relevant fights.

The Australian anthem, sung in an aboriginal language, complemented Opetaia’s ring walk, and received the reception Matchroom and Tasman Fighters would have hoped for. All of which made it a shame that the words “G’day mate” were spoken in Arabic just before the opening bell and directed at the absent Turki Alalshikh.

Unlike what had unfolded before then, it was an egotistical act presented as one of respect. Yet the reality remains that what followed between Opetaia and Nyika is, rightly, everything for what “The Return of the Champion” will be remembered for. Similarly, the brutal nature of the knockout, and little else, was what the 5,000-strong crowd present – so many wearing t-shirts featuring the branding of the sporting star Opetaia – would have taken away with them into the summer’s night.