Nyika where he needs to be but frustration is mounting

I’m very impatient by nature so this is really difficult and obviously there are a lot of people expecting big things from me.

David Nyika is exactly where he needs to be.

There has been a weight of expectation on the Kiwi boxer since he claimed the light heavyweight Commonwealth Games gold in 2014.

Backing up with Commonwealth Games gold in the heavyweight division in 2018, Olympic heavyweight bronze in 2021 and a 2-0 record to start his professional career — both first-round stoppages — Nyika is eager to keep the ball rolling — but on his own terms.

While many boxers fresh in their professional careers look to stack up bouts early and often, Nyika is taking a selective approach. The 26-year-old has been based in England for the past six months, training alongside the likes of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and Joseph Parker at Fury’s camp in Morecambe.

Every day, Nyika is learning the tools of his craft, inside the ring and outside it, from some of the best minds in the game. So, while wanting to get back into the ring, he says the delay in finding another bout isn’t doing any harm.

“I’ve got a big career ahead of me; I don’t want to make the wrong decisions,” Nyika tells the Herald on Sunday. “But I’m exactly where I need to be in terms of getting to know the right people, being in the public eye and impressing the right people in training and showing my face.

“I’m still in the right place and I’ve been enjoying the process, but it’s definitely a bit of a shock to the system at times.”

Nyika received plenty of praise following his UK debut in December last year after his opponent retired from the fight after the first round. That bout, on the undercard of Joseph Parker’s unanimous decision win over Derek Chisora, was a big moment for Nyika not just in getting to show his talent, but also how rare an opportunity it was.

Nyika fought on the card, presented by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, without having to sign a long-term deal, allowing him to make the most of that stage and continue to consider his options.

“It’s a matter of making sure the next 10 years are smooth sailing,” he says. “I really need it to work for me. I don’t want to make brash decisions and send myself down a path I’m not 100 per cent sure about.

“I’m very impatient by nature so this is really difficult and obviously there are a lot of people expecting big things from me, so I want to make sure I can really maximise my prime. I feel like my prime is probably still another five years away, so there’s plenty of time to develop a model that will work for me.

“I really want to get busy, but I have also heard all the horror stories about fighters that have their careers taken away from them by signing bad deals. I respect my ability and I know what I’m worth, so I’m not going to settle for any less.”

Nyika is hopeful, however, of being back on the professional stage before returning to the amateur ranks for the Commonwealth Games in July, where he will chase a third consecutive gold medal.

“We have still got dates in mind, but we’re trying to firm them up and get the bout agreements in. You know the score; until you’ve signed a contract, it’s not really my place to start screaming and shouting about the fights that I might have,” he says.

“There is a lot more to come before the Comm Games, and I think it will all happen pretty quickly, but it’s just a matter of tightening those details.”

David Nyika