December 14, 2025 • 11 mins
It's been a big year for Kiwi boxing legend David Nyika, and he's looking back on a 2025 full of milestones.
The Commonwealth and Olympic Games medallist claimed a one-sided decision win over China’s Wuzhati Nuerlang in his adopted hometown of Gatton, Queensland.
He joined the Afternoons team to discuss further.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talk zed B.
Follow this and our Wide Ranger podcast now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
News Talks EDB. David Nika has had a wild year.
In January, the Kiwi Box of fought for his first
world title. He was also knocked out for the first
time in his career. It was the start of a
year that would be full of milestones. He and his
partner Lexi Thornbury traveled to Mexico a few days after
that belt, where Nika proposed they brought a house, and
Nika made a successful return to the ring in July.
(00:39):
Soon after that journey, however, their world was rocked as
Lexi was diagnosed with head and neck cancer. Battling through
what he described as six weeks of how the Commonwealth
and Olympic Games medalists finished off the year, claiming victory
over China's was hearty Newhaling Yesterday, it is a great
pleasure to welcome David Nica onto the show. David, how
(00:59):
you doing.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Hey, good to be it man. I'm feeling good. Hands
a little bit sore, but everything's in one piece, in.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Your hands and not your head or your forehead.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Yeah, a huge one man. Congratulations.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
An awesome end of the year, and it clearly meant
a lot judging on your speech after that fight. So
how different did that fight feel compared to others you've
had this year?
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yeah, I didn't really feel like I had I didn't
have much kind of X factor. I felt like I
was missing a little something. I wasn't really having much
fun in the room. Usually I try to have a
little bit more fun. But to be quite honest, I
really just wanted that weekend to disappear in some ways,
you know, just I just wanted to get it out
(01:46):
the way so I can focus on what's really important.
Speaker 6 (01:50):
Yeah, you said the week's leading into that bout were
how how did you manage to stay focused enough to
perform in the spectacular way you.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Did at the end of the day. This is what
I do, you know, This is it's like muscle memory
or instinct. So for me doing what I do is
it's just like if I work at a checkout, you know,
it's I don't I don't see the difference between, you know,
my life and your life. Like people wake up and
(02:19):
do the same thing every day, you know, and this
is just my thing, you know, So there's been a
lot of changes over the last kind of six weeks.
But you know, this is one thing that I know
I can do, and you know I can I can
make a little difference.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
It's incredible what what you and Lexi of course have
been through over those six weeks, David, throughout that that
journey and it has been it's been hell for you guys.
Has any does anything change in your mentality on how
you look at your career, how you look at boxing,
how you look at life.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
You know, I've I've found my faith. I found my faith.
It's been like a big, a big milestone for me.
You know, I spoke, I spoke to my grand she
passed away when I was five, and that was like
that was pretty specious, like very moving, and that was
that was kind of the sign I needed to know
that everything was going to be okay, you know. So
(03:14):
for me, you know, having a little bit of spiritual
healing has definitely come and come and handy. But you know,
perspective as a superpower, you know, likes a lot of
people don't have it, and to realize how bless we
are in this life is so important and you know,
(03:36):
I'm just I'm just so grateful to have the supporting
their work around me and to have the support of
of New Zealand and and and my family behind me.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Man, that's huge.
Speaker 6 (03:48):
If you can find gratitude and tough times, then you're
a stronger and.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Better person than then most people. You know, a lot
of people end up better and angry when when things
go wrong.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, well, at the end of the day, like my
positivity is what's.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
I know Lexus is you know, relying on me in
a lot of ways, and so I can't let my
guard down, you know, I need to stay positive. I
need to I need to you know, be encouraging her,
let her know that she's doing the right thing and
that we're moving in the right direction and we have
like such an amazing future together. So yeah, it's important
to to kind of yeah, be that, be that positivity.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Yeah, when you say you found your faith? Did how
did you find your faith? How did that? How did
that come along in your life?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Well it's a long story, but we had a piece
of art that we've been trying to get framed from
our trip. We lex blew her entire savings on a
on a European summer and it was like a thirtieth.
It was for my thirtieth birthday. She she just surprised
me with a trip to Europe and it was amazing.
We went there and came back and shortly after she
(05:02):
was diagnosed with cancer. So that was like the first
sign that you know, life going to be shuffled along
pretty quickly. But I had this, We had this piece
of art that we bought in Venice that we were
getting framed, and I went to get it. I went,
we went in between between appointments just to go check
on the progress, and we saw them. We saw them
(05:24):
rolling up our rolling up our art, someone else's artwork
with our with our role, and I was like, hey,
what's that. I was like, that's our piece of art.
I said, hey, if you guys can have that, you
guys need to like fix this. You guys need to
I was like, I was, I was pretty I was
pretty angry. I don't get angry very easily. But I
(05:46):
spoke to the manager and said, hey, listen, we're getting
we're getting married a year from this certain date. If
you can have that on our wall by this day,
that will be the sign that I need to know
that everything's going to be okay. And I yeah, it
was desperate, desperate times, but I I spoke to my
(06:09):
grands She spoke through me, which is really really chilling, chilling,
but she she physically spoke through me, which I didn't
think was possible. And I'm a spiritual person, but I'm
not religious, but yeah, she spoke through me and told
me to be still, which I since learned as a
(06:31):
biblical quote, you know, be still and know that I
am God. So that was that was really really powerful.
And yeah, yeah it's reshaped my uh my thinking in
my kind of outlook on life a little bit. So
that's that's what I needed. It was the sign I
(06:52):
needed to know that we're going to be okay. And
so yeah, I know what I need to do now.
All I need to do is be that supportive person.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Wow, powerful stuff. And what was the what was the
piece of art.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
It's a it's a painting of the Rialto Bridge in Venice,
where there's actually you can see the balcony that we
we stayed at where our accommodation was in the painting.
So it's it's very special and it's it's up on
our living room. War now. So we got that piece
(07:27):
of art up on the wall the day of the
year out from when we're getting married, if that makes sense.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
Yeah, yeah, got it. That is beautiful, mate, That is beautiful.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Now the I mean clearly, your strength and leksi strength
is inspiring, mate, And I don't say that lightly. How
how is she doing now?
Speaker 3 (07:48):
She's she's doing amazing. She's she's only just started. She's
finished her first cycle of chemotherapy, which is like an
intro chemo, and she's bouncing back after kind of three
or four days after each treatment. So she's doing great
at the moment, and like, yeah, God willing, she's she
(08:09):
she stays that way, but you know it's going to
be a challenging, challenging kind of a few months. But
she's she's just such a strong headed woman, sometimes annoyingly so,
but you know that that that eagerness to live and
to thrive is what's going to get us through the
(08:29):
other side and make us so much stronger.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
Yeah, you're both incredible people.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
We're talking with David Nika as part of our series
of Christmas Camp Chumps with top top people.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
David, thanks very much again for joining us. We're going
to thank you be here.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
It's great to have you.
Speaker 6 (08:42):
We're going to get you some punishing Christmas questions now,
because it's that time of year. What are you doing
over the Christmas and summer?
Speaker 3 (08:49):
I think we'll be at home. I've got the backyard
kind of set up for hosting, so it's prod of
the only way we can. We can have visitors around
us if we have it outside, since Lex is going
to be IMMUNI pomp promote. But yeah, no, we'll be
at home chilling.
Speaker 5 (09:05):
Nice. How the chicken's going by the way, mate.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
They're happy and they're laying. We've got six trucks six
eggs a day, so you know they healthy. Has Yeah
that What.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Is on the menu on Christmas Day? Or what do
you hope is on the menu? Oh?
Speaker 6 (09:19):
Whatever?
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Whatever Jan Thornberry is cooking. I think we've actually got
my mum coming over as well, so we might get
a Yuka Thornberry duo.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
Real tree or fake Christmas tree, David.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I much prefer real Christmas tree. I don't think they
have them around here just where we're situated. I haven't
I haven't found a haven't found one to buy yet.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Interesting, So no real Christmas trees in Queensland do you
got to go quite far and pay a lot of money.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
I think. So yeah, either that or I'll have to
make my own. You know, we'll ship you.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
We'll ship you one over. Man.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Hey, this this is a might be a curly que one,
but it's a great question.
Speaker 5 (10:00):
What is the best present you've ever received?
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Is it your squishy nose that helps you? And you
know in your professional.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Career, the squishy nose is definitely definitely done me some favors.
I'm terrible. I tell you what was probably one of
my earliest presidents that I that I that no longer exists,
like a like a Lord of the Rings minifigure or
something something like that. I would have been so pumped.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
Great answer.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
And what are you grateful for this year?
Speaker 3 (10:32):
I'm grateful for my family. I'm grateful for my health,
I'm grateful for grateful for life.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Man.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Yeah, I'm just just happy to be here.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Yeah. Phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
And finally, mate, favorite Christmas song for you?
Speaker 3 (10:48):
I love that? Do they know it's Christmas Time? That
was like a family anthem band aid? Yeah, yeah, I
thought that's pretty good Christmas time.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
All right, we'll play that one for you.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Brilliant. You're a good man. Let's go, Yes, go, I
will crank there for you. Mate.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Hey, great to catch up. Congrats again on that on
the when and we're wishing you and Leaks all the
best next year.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
Mate.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
My guys, great to catch up and Merry Christmas, Happy
New Year.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
Yeah, Merry Christmas to you.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
That is David Nieka, one of our Christmas catch ups
with top people.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
What a good man he is. You're listening to News
Talks ed be Christmas.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
For more from News Talks at b Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talk zed B.
Follow this and our Wide Ranger podcast now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
News Talks EDB. David Nika has had a wild year.
In January, the Kiwi Box of fought for his first
world title. He was also knocked out for the first
time in his career. It was the start of a
year that would be full of milestones. He and his
partner Lexi Thornbury traveled to Mexico a few days after
that belt, where Nika proposed they brought a house, and
Nika made a successful return to the ring in July.
(00:39):
Soon after that journey, however, their world was rocked as
Lexi was diagnosed with head and neck cancer. Battling through
what he described as six weeks of how the Commonwealth
and Olympic Games medalists finished off the year, claiming victory
over China's was hearty Newhaling Yesterday, it is a great
pleasure to welcome David Nica onto the show. David, how
(00:59):
you doing.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Hey, good to be it man. I'm feeling good. Hands
a little bit sore, but everything's in one piece, in.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Your hands and not your head or your forehead.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Yeah, a huge one man. Congratulations.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
An awesome end of the year, and it clearly meant
a lot judging on your speech after that fight. So
how different did that fight feel compared to others you've
had this year?
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yeah, I didn't really feel like I had I didn't
have much kind of X factor. I felt like I
was missing a little something. I wasn't really having much
fun in the room. Usually I try to have a
little bit more fun. But to be quite honest, I
really just wanted that weekend to disappear in some ways,
you know, just I just wanted to get it out
(01:46):
the way so I can focus on what's really important.
Speaker 6 (01:50):
Yeah, you said the week's leading into that bout were
how how did you manage to stay focused enough to
perform in the spectacular way you.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Did at the end of the day. This is what
I do, you know, This is it's like muscle memory
or instinct. So for me doing what I do is
it's just like if I work at a checkout, you know,
it's I don't I don't see the difference between, you know,
my life and your life. Like people wake up and
(02:19):
do the same thing every day, you know, and this
is just my thing, you know, So there's been a
lot of changes over the last kind of six weeks.
But you know, this is one thing that I know
I can do, and you know I can I can
make a little difference.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
It's incredible what what you and Lexi of course have
been through over those six weeks, David, throughout that that
journey and it has been it's been hell for you guys.
Has any does anything change in your mentality on how
you look at your career, how you look at boxing,
how you look at life.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
You know, I've I've found my faith. I found my faith.
It's been like a big, a big milestone for me.
You know, I spoke, I spoke to my grand she
passed away when I was five, and that was like
that was pretty specious, like very moving, and that was
that was kind of the sign I needed to know
that everything was going to be okay, you know. So
(03:14):
for me, you know, having a little bit of spiritual
healing has definitely come and come and handy. But you know,
perspective as a superpower, you know, likes a lot of
people don't have it, and to realize how bless we
are in this life is so important and you know,
(03:36):
I'm just I'm just so grateful to have the supporting
their work around me and to have the support of
of New Zealand and and and my family behind me.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Man, that's huge.
Speaker 6 (03:48):
If you can find gratitude and tough times, then you're
a stronger and.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Better person than then most people. You know, a lot
of people end up better and angry when when things
go wrong.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, well, at the end of the day, like my
positivity is what's.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
I know Lexus is you know, relying on me in
a lot of ways, and so I can't let my
guard down, you know, I need to stay positive. I
need to I need to you know, be encouraging her,
let her know that she's doing the right thing and
that we're moving in the right direction and we have
like such an amazing future together. So yeah, it's important
to to kind of yeah, be that, be that positivity.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Yeah, when you say you found your faith? Did how
did you find your faith? How did that? How did
that come along in your life?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Well it's a long story, but we had a piece
of art that we've been trying to get framed from
our trip. We lex blew her entire savings on a
on a European summer and it was like a thirtieth.
It was for my thirtieth birthday. She she just surprised
me with a trip to Europe and it was amazing.
We went there and came back and shortly after she
(05:02):
was diagnosed with cancer. So that was like the first
sign that you know, life going to be shuffled along
pretty quickly. But I had this, We had this piece
of art that we bought in Venice that we were
getting framed, and I went to get it. I went,
we went in between between appointments just to go check
on the progress, and we saw them. We saw them
(05:24):
rolling up our rolling up our art, someone else's artwork
with our with our role, and I was like, hey,
what's that. I was like, that's our piece of art.
I said, hey, if you guys can have that, you
guys need to like fix this. You guys need to
I was like, I was, I was pretty I was
pretty angry. I don't get angry very easily. But I
(05:46):
spoke to the manager and said, hey, listen, we're getting
we're getting married a year from this certain date. If
you can have that on our wall by this day,
that will be the sign that I need to know
that everything's going to be okay. And I yeah, it
was desperate, desperate times, but I I spoke to my
(06:09):
grands She spoke through me, which is really really chilling, chilling,
but she she physically spoke through me, which I didn't
think was possible. And I'm a spiritual person, but I'm
not religious, but yeah, she spoke through me and told
me to be still, which I since learned as a
(06:31):
biblical quote, you know, be still and know that I
am God. So that was that was really really powerful.
And yeah, yeah it's reshaped my uh my thinking in
my kind of outlook on life a little bit. So
that's that's what I needed. It was the sign I
(06:52):
needed to know that we're going to be okay. And
so yeah, I know what I need to do now.
All I need to do is be that supportive person.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Wow, powerful stuff. And what was the what was the
piece of art.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
It's a it's a painting of the Rialto Bridge in Venice,
where there's actually you can see the balcony that we
we stayed at where our accommodation was in the painting.
So it's it's very special and it's it's up on
our living room. War now. So we got that piece
(07:27):
of art up on the wall the day of the
year out from when we're getting married, if that makes sense.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
Yeah, yeah, got it. That is beautiful, mate, That is beautiful.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Now the I mean clearly, your strength and leksi strength
is inspiring, mate, And I don't say that lightly. How
how is she doing now?
Speaker 3 (07:48):
She's she's doing amazing. She's she's only just started. She's
finished her first cycle of chemotherapy, which is like an
intro chemo, and she's bouncing back after kind of three
or four days after each treatment. So she's doing great
at the moment, and like, yeah, God willing, she's she
(08:09):
she stays that way, but you know it's going to
be a challenging, challenging kind of a few months. But
she's she's just such a strong headed woman, sometimes annoyingly so,
but you know that that that eagerness to live and
to thrive is what's going to get us through the
(08:29):
other side and make us so much stronger.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
Yeah, you're both incredible people.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
We're talking with David Nika as part of our series
of Christmas Camp Chumps with top top people.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
David, thanks very much again for joining us. We're going
to thank you be here.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
It's great to have you.
Speaker 6 (08:42):
We're going to get you some punishing Christmas questions now,
because it's that time of year. What are you doing
over the Christmas and summer?
Speaker 3 (08:49):
I think we'll be at home. I've got the backyard
kind of set up for hosting, so it's prod of
the only way we can. We can have visitors around
us if we have it outside, since Lex is going
to be IMMUNI pomp promote. But yeah, no, we'll be
at home chilling.
Speaker 5 (09:05):
Nice. How the chicken's going by the way, mate.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
They're happy and they're laying. We've got six trucks six
eggs a day, so you know they healthy. Has Yeah
that What.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Is on the menu on Christmas Day? Or what do
you hope is on the menu? Oh?
Speaker 6 (09:19):
Whatever?
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Whatever Jan Thornberry is cooking. I think we've actually got
my mum coming over as well, so we might get
a Yuka Thornberry duo.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
Real tree or fake Christmas tree, David.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I much prefer real Christmas tree. I don't think they
have them around here just where we're situated. I haven't
I haven't found a haven't found one to buy yet.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
Interesting, So no real Christmas trees in Queensland do you
got to go quite far and pay a lot of money.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
I think. So yeah, either that or I'll have to
make my own. You know, we'll ship you.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
We'll ship you one over. Man.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Hey, this this is a might be a curly que one,
but it's a great question.
Speaker 5 (10:00):
What is the best present you've ever received?
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Is it your squishy nose that helps you? And you
know in your professional.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Career, the squishy nose is definitely definitely done me some favors.
I'm terrible. I tell you what was probably one of
my earliest presidents that I that I that no longer exists,
like a like a Lord of the Rings minifigure or
something something like that. I would have been so pumped.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
Great answer.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
And what are you grateful for this year?
Speaker 3 (10:32):
I'm grateful for my family. I'm grateful for my health,
I'm grateful for grateful for life.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Man.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Yeah, I'm just just happy to be here.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Yeah. Phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
And finally, mate, favorite Christmas song for you?
Speaker 3 (10:48):
I love that? Do they know it's Christmas Time? That
was like a family anthem band aid? Yeah, yeah, I
thought that's pretty good Christmas time.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
All right, we'll play that one for you.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Brilliant. You're a good man. Let's go, Yes, go, I
will crank there for you. Mate.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Hey, great to catch up. Congrats again on that on
the when and we're wishing you and Leaks all the
best next year.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
Mate.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
My guys, great to catch up and Merry Christmas, Happy
New Year.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
Yeah, Merry Christmas to you.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
That is David Nieka, one of our Christmas catch ups
with top people.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
What a good man he is. You're listening to News
Talks ed be Christmas.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
For more from News Talks at b Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio
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