Games champion boxer ‘bitten’ in ugly opening bout

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.

“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.”