David Nyika is guaranteed to become New Zealand's first Olympic boxing medallist for 29 years after a commanding quarter-final victory. Rest assured, though, Nyika won't be satisfied with bronze.
Nyika, the fourth-seeded Olympic heavyweight, registered his second unanimous victory of the Tokyo Games on Friday. After easing past Youness Baalla in the round of 16 – a bout marred by an attempted bite from the 22-year-old Moroccan - Nyika delivered another dominant display to defeat Belarus' Uladzislau Smiahlikau.
In advancing to the semifinals, Nyika is guaranteed to match revered Kiwi-Samoan heavyweight David Tua, who claimed bronze in Barcelona in 1992 as there is no fight off for bronze.
![David Nyika lands a punch against Uladzislau Smiahlikau. Photo / Getty](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/CUJFFRAZCLVW7Y4ACLORVBI3SE.jpg?auth=ec2338da7456019421dae186814ad3c42913392a8d0197dc94c8a323353a9fd5&width=16&height=9&quality=70&smart=true)
Nyika will, therefore, collect New Zealand's fourth Olympic boxing medal to follow Tua, Ted Morgan's gold in Amsterdam in 1928 and Kevin Barry's controversial silver in Los Angeles in 1984.