David Nyika had every part to lose and nothing to achieve.
It by no means prevented ‘Mr Good Man’ from preventing like a person with every part to show.
The homecoming was accomplished when Nyika stopped late substitute Tommy Karpency within the third spherical. Two knockdowns compelled the top at 1:37 of spherical three Saturday at Viaduct Occasions Centre in Auckland, New Zealand.
Nyika (10-0, 9 knockouts) fought in his beginning nation for the primary time since his Feb. 2021 professional debut. It was initially as a result of come versus Blake Caparello (32-4-1, 15KOs). That combat was scrapped when Caparello examined optimistic for a banned substance.
Karpency (31-9-1, 17 KOs) stepped in on brief discover to assist save the present. Nyika was as appreciative of that as he was of the possibility to combat on residence soil.
“Hats off to you for popping out at brief discover,” stated Nyika. “This implies loads to me. It is a dream come true.”
Nyika was the sharper of the 2 all through the combat. The 29-year-old cruiserweight prospect, who claimed bronze on the Tokyo Olympics three years in the past, reddened the fitting aspect of Karpency’s ribcage with left hooks by means of two rounds.
Karpency, a 38-year-old southpaw from Adah, Pennsylvania, got here to combat. Nonetheless, he was outclassed and in addition preventing one division heavy. The career-long gentle heavyweight was simply 191 ¾ kilos at Friday’s weigh-in and regarded each bit the smaller man on Saturday.
Early within the third spherical, Nyika snaked in a left hook to the physique that hit Karpency flush. The customer went down, in apparent ache. Karpency beat the depend, however the writing was on the wall.
A proper hand to the temple dropped him once more and his nook actually threw within the towel.
Karpency was recreation and certain made many followers not solely together with his efficiency, but in addition together with his post-fight interview.
“I make no excuses. The brief discover had nothing to do with it. He’s a tall rangy man and he hit me with good physique photographs,” stated Karpency.
He added: “He’s going to be a future world champion.”
In a enjoyable heavyweight slugfest, Hemi ‘The Warmth’ Ahio (23-1, 17 KOs) survived some rocky moments to outlast Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu (16-6-2, 12 KOs) through break up choice over 10 heats.
Samoan-born Australian Opelu, 30, was very a lot within the combat by means of the primary 5 rounds as he regarded to repeat his October 2022 victory over Ahio that occurred on the undercard of the Devin Haney vs. George Kambosos Jr rematch in Melbourne, Australia.
However it was the 34-year-old Ahio from Auckland, New Zealand who completed the stronger of the 2, displaying his classier boxing to edge the bout by scores of 99-91, 94-96 and 96-94.
The Duco Occasions card was broadcast on DAZN. The present additionally marked the promotional debut of present top-rated heavyweight Joseph Parker (35-3, 23 KOs).
Australian-based boxing journalist Anthony Cocks has been protecting the game for over 20 years for varied print and on-line publications.
