David Nyika’s days of training alone in a car park near Claudelands Events Centre are long gone.
The Hamilton fighter has hit the big time in Britain, working alongside a who’s who of boxing stars, ahead of his second professional bout against France’s Anthony Carpin on the undercard of Joseph Parker and Dereck Chisora’s rematch in Manchester on Sunday (NZ time).
And there is no bigger name than Tyson Fury, the British heavyweight world champion known as the ‘Gypsy King’, who has been working Nyika over at his gym in Morecambe since October.
New Zealand heavyweight Parker, Nyika’s “mentor”, has also been there, preparing for his second fight in Manchester with Chisora after defeating the bruising Brit in May.
Former All Blacks star Sonny Bill Williams also walked into Fury’s gym this week, as he lines up a return to boxing after retiring from rugby league in March, and it has been a steep learning curve for Nyika after a long-awaited switch from the amateur ranks.
Nyika, who turned 26 after finishing with bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in August, said he couldn’t be in a better place for his first step into the bright lights, glitz and glamour of the lucrative British boxing scene.
Rubbing shoulders with Fury, who has risen back to the top of the heavyweight ranks after plummeting to rock bottom because of mental health and addiction issues, has been an eye-opening experience.
“He’s very secure in himself, he doesn’t mince his words, and he’s exactly what you imagine, a huge character,” Nyika told Stuff from Manchester, on the eve of his first professional fight in Britain.
Nyika’s training has included quality sparring with Fury, something he lacked while at home, and insight into the mind of an unbeaten world champion, who knocked out American power hitter Deontay Wilder in their mega fight in Las Vegas in October.
“He’ll wind you up,” Nyika said. “He is a formidable dude in the gym, but I’ve got a crazy work ethic as well.”
He has started a quote book, with some extra lines from Fury’s father, John, who was also a boxer and is another big character.
Two quotes stick out so far – “a wounded tiger can still hurt you” and “you don’t miss the water in the well until it runs dry” – and there are more to come, Nyika said.
Fury’s extroverted style – namely in building up the hype for his fights – might seem eccentric.
In another press conference with legendary Ukrainian heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko, Fury removed his shirt, stood up, showed his flabby belly, and said “shame on you, you let a fat man beat you”.
It’s all part of the show.
Nyika was present for the pre-fight press conference for Parker and Chisora’s second contest that is expected to welcome more than 21,000 boisterous fans to Manchester Arena on Sunday (NZ time).
It was largely uneventful but for Chisora, who once launched a table at an opponent in front of the cameras. This time he was silent, with tape over his mouth while playing a song with his boom box, in another bizarre publicity stunt.
Nyika said he is still nervous for the big media events because he doesn’t “want to say anything silly”, albeit if rash remarks are common when it comes to “trash talk”.
“That Kiwi way, we’re quite humble people. We don’t want to step on people’s toes, but I’m very proud of our culture and that when I come to places like Morecambe, I’m accepted by people right away because I’m a nice dude who doesn’t go out of my way to upset anybody.
“We’re just polite people. I hope people can learn from that.
“I haven’t been insulted yet, but it is the entertainment business, and I’m excited about what that’s going to bring.”
The Frenchman will be a tougher opponent than Jesse Maio, who Nyika knocked out after 29 seconds of his professional debut in Auckland in February.
David Nyika v Anthony Carpin
Nyika’s professional record (1-0): Won via TKO against Jesse Maio in Auckland on February 27, 2021
Nyika’s amateur highlights: Two Commonwealth Games gold medals (light heavyweight in Glasgow, 2014; heavyweight in Gold Coast, 2018) and Olympic bronze medal (heavyweight in Tokyo, 2021)
