David Nyika has started his pro career with two wins via first-round stoppage. Photo / Matchroom Boxing / Photosport
David Nyika has started his pro career with two wins via first-round stoppage. Photo / Matchroom Boxing / Photosport
David Nyika is exactly where he needs to be.
There has been a weight of expectation, which has only gotten heavier over time, on the young Kiwi boxer since he claimed Commonwealth Games gold in the light heavyweight division in 2014.
Backing up with Commonwealth Games gold in the heavyweightdivision in 2018, Olympic heavyweight bronze in 2021 and a 2-0 record to start his professional career – both first-round stoppages – Nyika is eager to keep the ball rolling – but on his own terms.
While many boxers fresh in their professional careers look to stack up bouts early and often, Nyika is taking a selective approach. The 26-year-old has been based in England for the past six months, training alongside Tyson Fury and Joseph Parker at Fury's camp in Morecambe.
Every day, Nyika is learning the tools of his craft – both inside the ring and outside of it – from some of the best minds in the game. So, while he would love to get back into the ring, he says the delay in finding another bout isn't doing him any harm.
"I've got a big career ahead of me; I don't want to make the wrong decisions," Nyika tells the Herald. "But I'm exactly where I need to be in terms of getting to know the right people, being in the public eye and impressing the right people in training and just showing my face really.
"I have a great mentor in Joe [Parker]. He's been a great mentor and figure that has allowed me to kind of ask all the questions that might seem dumb to me but he's been really good and I feel pretty lucky to have someone to guide me through all these steps. He's putting my name out there and making sure I'm getting all the credit I deserve. I feel pretty blessed to be in such good company."
Nyika received plenty of praise following his UK debut in December last year after his opponent retired from the fight after the first round. That bout, on the undercard of Parker's unanimous decision win over Derek Chisora, was a big moment for Nyika not just in getting to show his talent, but also how rare of an opportunity it was.
David Nyika stopped Anthony Carpin in his UK debut late last year. Photo: Matchroom Boxing/Photosport
Nyika fought on the card, presented by Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing, without having to sign a long-term deal, allowing him to make the most of that stage and continue to consider his options.
"It's a matter of making sure the next 10 years are smooth sailing," he says. "I really need it to work for me. I don't want to make brash decisions and send myself down a path I'm not 100 per cent sure about.
"I'm very impatient by nature so this is really difficult and obviously there are a lot of people expecting big things from me, so I want to make sure I can really maximise my prime. I feel like my prime is probably still another five years away, so there's plenty of time to develop a model that will work for me.
"I really want to get busy, but I have also heard all the horror stories about fighters that have their careers taken away from them by signing bad deals. I respect my ability and I know what I'm worth, so I'm not going to settle for any less."
Nyika is hopeful, however, of being back on the professional stage before returning to the amateur ranks for the Commonwealth Games in July, where he will chase a third consecutive gold medal.
"We have still got dates in mind, but we're trying to firm them up and get the bout agreements in. You know the score; until you've signed a contract, it's not really my place to start screaming and shouting about the fights that I might have.
"There is a lot more to come before the Comm Games, and I think it will all happen pretty quickly, but it's just a matter of tightening those details up."
In recent weeks, Nyika has had the ultimate learning experience of being able to experience Fury's training camp ahead of his WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles against Dillian Whyte in London on Sunday.
Nyika is in London for the fight at Wembley Stadium – for which more than 90,000 tickets were sold – and says as far as experiences go, Fury's camp has been everything he could have hoped for.
"It's hard to put into words," he admits. "I feel like I've been a fly on the wall which has been amazing. I've been able to see, hear and feel everything that goes on in camp; from the good to the bad to the ugly, just everything.
"It's been really eye-opening just understanding what a world championship camp can look like. I know they don't all look like this; I know this is a very special camp, and I know this might never happen again and I want to make sure I can soak up all the good stuff I can.
"This is fighting. Tyson is a fighting man," he adds. "The traveller community, they're bred tough, they're bred strong, I think they've honed in on something that is not quite tangible, if that makes sense. It's hard to describe, but they're just fighting people. They fight for everything they have and they fight for what they believe in. I really respect that, and it's a very cool experience for me to see the art of violence in its purest form."
