David Nyika at the 'Road to the Title' weigh ins. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Nyika v Karpency
- Main card starts around 7pm
- Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland
- Live blog coverage on RNZ Sport
He's been cordial, now it's time to fight.
David 'The Nice Guy' Nyika shed his moniker today, vowing to violently end his bout with American Tommy Karpency.
"I have been nice, now it's time to be a monster... I want to break him down. I want to go through the gears, whether he can stand up to it or not, that's for him."
The two boxers squared off for the first time at SkyCity today.
"I saw his hands and they are twice the size of mine, it's a testament to how long he's been in the sport for. I think he's going to come hard, come early and come fast."
No more 'Mr Nice Guy' for David Nyika ahead of fight night
The Kiwi cruiserweight said he has plenty of respect for the American veteran for taking the fight on short notice.
"I think he knows his role, he knows that he's not supposed to win his fight, there is nothing to lose for him."
Nyika admitted the added pressure and spotlight will make a loss all the more painful.
"If I slipped up it would be a massive hitch in my career but i just can't see it happening."
Karpency said his key to victory was to simply fight his fight.
He arrived Thursday from Pennsylvania after a 36-hour flight and admitted to still battling jetlag but was unfazed by the task ahead of him.
"I fought a lot of rising young stars, there is nothing different about this situation than i have been in differently."
Karpency insisted he never hesitated to accept the bout.
"I didn't not know him until I got the fight offer, but I'll fight anybody, anywhere."
He believes he will make for a much more exciting opponent than Blake Carparello, who was initially scheduled but pulled after a failed drug test.
"The situation I am in is going to force me to make it an exciting fight, I am definitely going to let my hands go. When it comes down to it, i am going to go out on my shield if it comes to it."
Nyika shrugged off suggestions by Karpency that he was not on his level.
"I know he's tough, he's seasoned, he's worked with the best and beaten the best. But I know how good I am, i just need the opportunities to prove it."
He said he was going to put on a show for Auckland.
"I'm doing this for Aotearoa. Being the hometown fighter is not where I thrive, I like being the underdog, I like having the odds stacked against me, but I am going to turn up and smash old mate anyway."