In less than a handful of days, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury will get in the ring for their much-awaited date! The bout was originally scheduled for February this year, but because of an injury sustained by ‘The Gypsy King’, was postponed to May 18. And David Nyika and Michael Seitz will be hoping that the date doesn’t move further away. 

The cruiserweight duo will go toe-to-toe in Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of the ‘Ring of Fire’ card. And given the scale of the event, one can bet people would want to know who is more likely to get their hand raised by the end of the eight-round skirmish. So, without any further ado, here’s a look at their past, present, and potential future to determine who will be the stronger man come fight night this weekend. 

Who’s got the better Curriculum Vitae?

Starting with New Zealand’s David Nyika, ‘The Nice Guy’ seems to have an extensive history in the sport of sweet science. The Gatton resident started his journey into the ring back in 2011 when he was 15 years old. Since then, the Hamilton-born pugilist has racked up quite a list of opponents. 

Well, in his amateur boxing career alone, Nyika has 85 fights under his belt with 71 wins and 14 losses. While he doesn’t have that kind of experience in pro boxing, he remains undefeated with an 8-0 record. Interestingly, Nyika seems to have fought opponents of various experiences, whether it’s veterans with over 30 fights or an undefeated prospect like himself. 

On the other hand, Germany’s Michael Seitz isn’t a stranger to tough opponents either! Even though he doesn’t have experience from the amateur scene like his opponent, he seems to have made up for it through his performance in the pro stage. With slightly more fights than Nyika, Seitz started his career in boxing in 2015. 

The German national currently holds a professional record of 12-0, but there’s something odd in the guys he has fought. Looking at Seitz’s early career, the men he fought at the beginning had never won a single fight before. However, in Seitz’s last fight in October last year, the Kaiserslautern native fought Steve Eloundou Ntere, who had an identical record with Nyika. So, who knows? This fight could be a calculated move from Seitz.

Nevertheless, now comparing their history in the sport, it’s pretty clear that Nyika has way more experience compared to his German counterpart, even though Seitz has had more fights in the professional scene. So, from their track record alone, Nyika is most likely to steamroll through the German boxer. On top of that, Nyika is coming off five consecutive knockout wins, while Seitz’s last win came from a majority decision. 

David Nyika vs. Michael Seitz: Age, Height, Reach, Weight

Alright, now let’s look at their attributes, their features, the advantages and disadvantages from a physiological standpoint, which more often than not plays a pivotal role in a boxer’s ability to fight. Nyika, aged 28, enters the fight with a slight age advantage over Seitz, who is 31. However, the three-year difference isn’t substantial enough to significantly influence their showdown.

However, the same can not be said about their height! Just like age, ‘The Nice Guy’ again has the advantage, coming in at 6′ 6″/198 cm, whereas Seitz is 6′ 0 1⁄2″/184cm. While not a big difference, these few inches may either help the shorter fighter duck and weave to dodge punches better, or let the taller fighter keep his head at a distance. 

As for reach and weight, those details aren’t available at the moment and their exact weight will be revealed during the final weigh-ins for the event. So, comparing the data available, Nyika seems to have a hairline advantage, but it’s not significant enough to affect the fight in any shape or form. 

Who’s most likely to score a knockout/knockdown?

Both fighters have a neck-to-neck knockout ratio, with Nyika boasting an impressive 87.5% and Seitz with 83.33%. That may seem close, but the quality of opponents both fighters have faced is a different case. Not to mention, Nyika is on a knockout streak and Seitz is coming off a majority decision win over an opponent who had similar numbers to Nyika. So, even in terms of knockouts, Nyika seems to have gotten the upper hand. 

Overall, Nyika seems to be the more accomplished boxer with an excellent track record. He has spent his time in the amateurs, facing numerous talents, so it would be a safe bet to wager on the New Zealand-born pugilist. Meanwhile, there’s a strong likelihood of both fighters looking for one-shot knockouts. 

So, that’s what is most likely to happen when these two meet in the ring on May 18. But boxing is a funny sport, and things can always go south. Do you agree? Or do you see the fight going in a different direction?