\n<\/p>\n
World champion Jai Opetaia defended his IBF cruiserweight title with a brutal fourth-round knockout win over David Nyika in Australia.<\/b><\/p>\n
In arguably the biggest fight in trans-Tasman history, home favourite Opetaia, 29, floored New Zealander Nyika with an uppercut at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Queensland.<\/p>\n
An unsteady Nyika, 29, rose to his feet with just over a minute to go in round four. Opetaia unleashed another onslaught before a thunderous, highlight-reel left hook ended the fight. <\/p>\n
The challenger required medical treatment on the canvas before walking out of the arena to applause from a 6,000 sellout crowd.<\/p>\n
“He took the fight on two weeks notice. He came here to fight. He gave me a dogfight. I respect that,” Opetaia, who has now won all 27 pro fights, said.<\/p>\n
The Sydney-born fighter called for a unification bout against Mexico’s WBA and WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez, while promoter Eddie Hearn suggested Opetaia could move up to heavyweight to face world champion Oleksandr Usyk within 18 months.<\/p>\n
“We have to chase for greatness,” Hearn said. “I believe he is the only person who can genuinely give Oleksandr a fight.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n