Rival’s no-show nets Nyika a medal
Kiwi boxer David Nyika is guaranteed a second Commonwealth Games medal after his quarterfinal opponent failed a medical ahead of fighting in the men’s 91kg tournament yesterday.
Nyika won light heavyweight (81kg) gold at the Glasgow Games in 2014 and has moved up to the heavyweight ranks since.
The 22-year-old won his opening bout on the Gold Coast by emphatically defeating Antigua’s Yakita Aska in the round of 16 via unanimous decision when he was bitten during the fight.
The Hamilton heavyweight was due to face Cameroon’s Christian Ndzie Tsoye yesterday in the last eight but the Cameroonian was withdrawn yesterday morning for failing the medical and weigh-in procedure, Games officials said.
Nyika therefore advanced to Friday’s semifinals after being told his opponent wasn’t showing up for the weigh-in or fighting. He was not told why.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Alexis Pritchard also guaranteed herself a boxing medal after beating Sri Lanka’s Keshani Hansika by unanimous decision in the women’s 57kg quarterfinals.
Reaching the last four of boxing tournaments at the Commonwealth Games guarantees fighters at least a bronze medal.
The contest between losing semifinalists for bronze has been scrapped and both are awarded a medal.