Influencer boxer Salt Papi struggles to find opponents due to his knockout power, and aims to face Jake Paul or KSI eventually.
Salt Papi, also known as Nathanial Bustamante, is gaining a reputation as a skilled influencer boxer, most recently knocking out ex-MMA fighter and 2-0 influencer boxer Josh Brueckner with a devastating left hand in January. This performance earned him high praise from professional boxers Ryan Garcia and Sunny Edwards, who believe he has the potential to make it as a legitimate boxer. However, Papi is finding it increasingly difficult to find opponents, as many are intimidated by his knockout punching power and unwilling to put themselves at risk.
In an interview with Arield Helwani on The MMA Hour, Salt Papi shared his frustration with the situation, stating that he enjoys a real challenge and is forced to fight real fighters as most influencers are scared of his abilities. He acknowledges that seeing his knockout of Brueckner would make anyone wary, but remains hopeful that the bigger names in influencer boxing will eventually agree to face him. Papi’s next opponent is former MMA fighter Anthony Taylor, and with a victory, he aims for a match against KSI, Jake Paul, or Tommy Fury.
Although Salt Papi has only been in the fight game for just over a year, he admits that if he were to face either Jake Paul or KSI now, he might lose. However, he believes those fights will happen eventually, and when they do, they will need to approach their bouts with caution as they will be aware of his capabilities. Papi envisions their fights as chess matches, knowing they will not simply charge at him. Beyond his boxing career, Papi has also expressed interest in trying his hand at MMA in the future, already confident in his skills as a striker.