Jai Opetaia v David Nyika details: what time is the fight, how to watch, betting odds

Jai Opetaia has warned his dangerous rival David Nyika to brace for a world of hurt and declared there will be no complacency in his relentless quest for boxing “greatness”.

Jai Opetaia has warned his dangerous rival David Nyika to brace for a world of hurt and declared there will be no complacency in his relentless quest for boxing “greatness”.

Australian boxing will witness a trans-Tasman blockbuster on Wednesday night when Opetaia defends his IBF cruiserweight world title against plucky Kiwi challenger Nyika at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.

Live: Follow Jai Opetaia vs David Nyika boxing world title fight with live updates and results

It is the scene of Opetaia’s heroics in July 2022, when the Gold Coast-based champion overcame a broken jaw in two places to dethrone Mairis Briedis and win his maiden world title at 200 pounds.

WHAT TIME IS THE FIGHT?

The 12-fight card will get underway at 4.15pm AEDT.

The main event, between Jai Opetaia and David Nyika, is expected to take place around 9.45pm AEDT.

Jai Opetaia faces off with David Nyika.

WHO ELSE IS ON THE CARD?

It is a blockbuster card which also boasts the heavyweight showdown between Justis Huni and Shaun Potgeiter.

Earlier, Max McIntyre and Abdulselam Saman clash in a super middleweight bout, while Ben Mahoney and Fan Zhang will lock horns in a super welterweight battle.

HOW TO WATCH?

The fight card will be streamed on DAZN - at a cost of $39.99 for users in Australia and New Zealand.

Now, after two years fighting in England and Saudi Arabia, Opetaia is back on Australian soil and he emphatically scoffed at Nyika’s threat to gatecrash his Gold Coast homecoming party.

Opetaia is Australia’s only current male world champion following the fall of Tim Tszyu, Jason Moloney and Liam Paro and is rated the king of cruiserweights after amassing a perfect 26-0 record with 20 knockouts.

Nyika is a late call-up following an injury to Germany’s Huseyin Cinkara and the ‘Nice Guy’ has his date with destiny after once writing a post-it note saying: “I will knock out Jai Opetaia”.

Jai Opetaia lands a heavy punch on Mairis Briedis. Picture: Top Rank/Mikey Williams

But Opetaia says Nyika (10-0) should be careful what he wishes for and vowed to subject the cocky Kiwi to the punishment he dished out to recent rivals who tried to steal his world title.

“I know I can hurt him,” Opetaia said as he prepares for his Gold Coast comeback.

“It will be a very dangerous time for him in there with these little knockout gloves.

“I believe all my last opponents thought they could win.

“We do those face-offs and they have all had that fire in their eye and believed this was their time to become a world champion.

“But I believe this is another stepping stone in my journey to greatness to become the undisputed champion of the world.

“I must win ... and I will.”

David Nyika has been written off by the bookmakers.

Bookmakers have written off Nyika as a $6.75 outsider, but the adopted Queenslander is confident of a boilover, claiming Opetaia hasn’t matched his precise preparation.

Matchroom’s kingpin promoter Eddie Hearn labelled Opetaia a boxing “animal” and the Gold Coaster says he has gone to another level of destruction since his sparring sessions with Nyika 18 months ago.

“He (Nyika) has this thing in his head like I’m this indestructible dude, I know I’m not. That’s what keeps me on my game all the time,” Opetaia said.

“If he wants a gunfight, let’s have a gunfight.

“If it’s 12 rounds of war, I’m ready for it.

“This is his chance to become a world champion. This is why we fight. We wait for these opportunities, but I am ready for him. I have been in his shoes.

“I know where he is coming from ... and I still have that hunger.

“So wherever this goes, let’s go there.”

Originally published as Jai Opetaia v David Nyika details: what time is the fight, how to watch, betting odds