Jai Opetaia Linked With Oleksandr Usyk After Nasty Knockout

Jai Opetaia scored the nastiest knockout of the year so far on Wednesday, the 8th of January, on the Gold Coast of Australia, as he triumphed in spectacular fashion after a dog-fight with his cruiserweight opponent David Nyika on a Matchroom boxing show for DAZN.

After 27 pro bouts to date, Opetaia has established himself as one of the division’s premier talents after returning 21 knockouts from 27 wins. According to his promoter, Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn, world championship unification fights against the likes of Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez could follow, together with an extraordinary elite vs elite fight against heavyweight don Oleksandr Usyk.

Jai Opetaia & David Nyika’s pro records (as of 08/01/25)
	Jai Opetaia	David Nyika
Fights	27	11
Wins	27 (21 KOs)	10 (9 KOs)
Losses	0	1
Draws	0	0

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Ramirez & Usyk Beckon After Another Jai Opetaia Knockout Win

Eddie Hearn marveled at New Zealand power puncher after midweek KO

Opetaia may have out-landed Nyika in every round that the fight lasted, but was made to work to get his win, having overcome tough punching in the slobberknocker. By the time the fight had ended, Opetaia had landed 74 of his 208 shots compared to 44 from 190 from Nyika, according to Compubox data sent to GIVEMESPORT.

It is the last sequence of shots in the fight that was the most brutal, though. The damage began when Opetaia landed a crafty uppercut from near point-blank range which slumped Nyika. Though Nyika managed to rise to his feet, he was still dazed and confused despite beating the count. A four-punch combo, punctuated by a left hook, put Nyika back on the floor but, this time, it is where he stayed. It was all over.

Watch the finish right here:

Hearn loved what he saw from one of his marquee, peak-form fighters.

“For me, Oleksandr Usyk was the greatest cruiserweight of all time, became undisputed, and then moved to heavyweight to become undisputed at heavyweight,” said Hearn.

“Jai is going to pick up all the belts at cruiserweight so he can become undisputed, and then we want to push him into a fight with Oleksandr Uysk to become undisputed at heavyweight as well.”

Hearn finished by remarking that, he believes, Opetaia is the only viable challenger to Usyk, however, this would not be before he clears out the 200-pound division. This means, first and foremost, taking on, and defeating, the likes of Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez and Badou Jack.