Antigua and Barbuda's Yakita Aska (in blue) fights against New Zealand's David Nyika (in red) during the men’s heavy (91Kg) category preliminary boxing match during the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games at the Oxenford Studios venue in Gold Coast on April 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS
New Zealand boxer David Nyika alleged that his opponent bit him twice in an “ugly” fight as he launched his bid for a second Commonwealth Games gold on Friday.
The 22-year-old heavyweight defeated Yakita Aska of Antigua and Barbuda 5-0 on Australia’s Gold Coast, but said the 91kg bout was far tougher than the scores suggested.
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“It’s probably the closest fight I’ve had. A little bit rugged, but a perfect start to a long tournament,” said Nyika, who won 81kg gold at Glasgow 2014 as a teenager.
“When they don’t want to win, they want to survive, it’s tough. I copped a couple of bite marks, a couple of low blows.
“It’s a tough fight. He bit me in the end, but that’s the sport we’re in.
“Fair play to him: it’s kill or be killed.”
There was no immediate response from Aska to the allegation, but the 28-year-old said: “He is one of the best. He won gold at the last Commonwealth Games so it was a bad draw for me.
“He is a very strong kid.”
Nyika, who will face Cameroon’s Christian Ndzie Tsoye in Tuesday’s quarter-finals, repeated the biting claim later on Instagram, when he joked: “Don’t worry guys, I’ve had my tetanus shots.”
Source: G Sport
