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David Nyika lands a knockout blow on Titi Motusaga’s chin in an all-Kiwi cruiserweight boxing clash in Melbourne.
Olympic Games bronze medallist David Nyika has knocked out Titi Motusaga in an all-Kiwi professional cruiserweight boxing fight in Melbourne but Hemi Ahio has suffered his first pro boxing defeat.
Hamilton-based Nyika, 27, felled Auckland-domiciled Motusaga in the second round while Ahio lost in a big upset in the heayvweight decision to a technical knockout against Faiga Opelu.
It was the fourth knockout win of Nyika’s promising pro career, which began in 2021 after he left the amateur ranks following his Tokyo Olympic bronze and Commonwealth Games gold medals in 2014 and 2018.
Motusaga sensed his opportunity after Nyika was cut and started to show a bit more aggression, clubbing Nyika with another left hand to the face
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But Nyika responded in brutal fashion, connecting with a short right hand near the end of the round that knocked Motusaga down and out.
Replays confirmed it was a head clash that opened up that cut under Nyika’s eye. It seemed to fire him up and he immediately went hunting for the knockout, probably mindful that it could get worse and potentially force the referee to stop the contest.
Motusaga took a heavy blow, but there was a respectful moment between the two New Zealanders who embraced as the result was read out.
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Hemi Ahio cops a shot from Faiga Opelu in their heavyweight clash, won by Opelu after a TKO.
Ahio’s fight was ended early when the referee stopped the fight in the fourth roud.
Ahio did not look badly hurt at all and angrily protested the referee’s decision.
But he only had himself to blame for putting on such a lackadaisical performance. He looked disinterested at times and simply wasn’t busy enough.
Earlier, New Zealand’s Marcus Heywood lost a middleweight clash to Lorenzo Simpson in a unanimous points decision after a plucky effort against the American.
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