Eddie Hearn thinks Jai Opetaia can knock out David Nyika inside three rounds on Wednesday night if the challenger stays and fights the IBF cruiserweight champion at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, Broadbeach, Australia.
Hearn sees the outcome of the fight to Opetaia (26-0, 20 KO). If he takes his replacement opponent Nyika (10-0, 9 KOs) full force within the first three rounds, he will have no choice but to fight. When that happens, Hearn expects Opetaia to be too much for the lanky 6’6″ native.
The desiccated champion
Eddie failed to mention how Opetaia showed up to the weigh-in exhausted and exhausted. He looked exhausted from making weight and it’s pretty clear he’s going through hell to reach the cruiserweight limit.
Opetaia is a small heavyweight the same size as Oleksandr Usyk, and that’s where he should fight at this point in his career. He has outgrown the cruiserweight division and needs a lot to make weight to stay there.
Nyika could use the vacant Opetaia on Wednesday night to finish the job Mairis Briedis started last May. Opetaia was knocked out by Briedis and was forced to escape in the championship rounds to avoid elimination.
Nyika is the first world-class fighter Opetaia has faced since the Briedis fight, and he could come apart if forced to fight hard in every round.
“There is Nyika in a direct confrontation, asking Jaia Opetaia how his 18-hour flight to Saudi Arabia went. Don’t forget he was there a few weeks ago for a big fight. This is a serious fight,” Eddie Hearn told Matchroom boxingtalking about Wednesday’s bout between IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaija and David Nyika.
“This is a big fight at the world level. It’s one of the best fights, if not the best fight in the cruiserweight division. The only better cruiserweight fight than this is Opetaia vs. Zurd Ramirez. If Jai Opetaia is watching Nyika or if he is off and not ready, he will have his hands full tomorrow night.
“So much will be decided in those early rounds when Nyika gets his first touch on those little gloves by Jai Opetaia. I think Nyika will suit the longer the fight goes on, but Nyika will unravel very quickly. You’ve seen so many guys with no experience come in there,” Hearn said.
Nyika may not unravel because he is fighting a guy who is killing himself to reach the cruiserweight limit and who went through two serious wars with Mairis Briedis in 2022 and 2024. Both of those fights were draining for Opetaia, and he took more punishment than he had in any of his previous fights during his 10-year professional career.
Opetaia’s handlers gave him a lot of soft lower level opposition to build him up. So he doesn’t have the experience that Hearn raves about in the professional game. Only two fights against Briedis, which were pure hell for him. He was lucky that he fought the Latvian at the end of his career and not at his peak. Briedis showed that Opetaia is not the big talent that Hearn and others are praising him for.
“Once Jai starts putting it on you, you have to stand and fight. If he does, I think this fight will be over within three rounds. I really am because if Jai gets there and starts being aggressive with Nyika, he won’t be boxing for long. He likes to stand and trade,” Hearn said.
Opetaia’s jaw problems
Opetaia could make the mistake of attacking the 6’6″ Nyika early in the contest. This could result in an early opening of the scar around the eyes, which he does not need. Jai better suffer the cuts afterwards. Also, he has jaw problems due to a bad break during the fight with Briedis. If there is a weakness, Nyika will bring it up.
“If you look at Nyika’s weakness, sometimes he gets hit a little bit too hard,” Hearn said. “Maybe it’s because he’s fighting at a lower level and he’s not as concerned or involved. These are the types of fights where you will see the best of someone like Nyika.”
Opetaia has the same weaknesses as Nyika in terms of hitting often, and it’s understandable though, because he’s a striker who tries to knock everyone out. As a result, he took a beating and was forced to run in his two fights with Briedis, especially in the second. In the second contest, he looked like he was being chased by a lion. Those bug eyes of his had a look of 100% pure fear, and you couldn’t blame him. Briedis was putting a fire under his butt.
“This kid has pedigree. Nyika is a serious fighter. It’s not like he’s not good enough to be world champion. I’m sure Nyika will become world champion, but will he become world champion tomorrow night? It might be too soon. If it’s special, maybe do it,” Hearn said.
At 29, if Nyika isn’t ready now, he never will be. Hearn refers to him as a young puppy, not a fighter who is 30. He has had a long amateur career, fighting far, far better technical fighters than Opetaia could ever hope to be. In terms of experience, Nyika is more than ready to win this fight. If he loses, it is not because he lacked experience.
