The man who promoted one of the first major YouTube boxing cards, Eddie Hearn, has his eye on an up and coming star on the scene.
Broadcaster DAZN’s partnership with UK superstar, KSI, has seen influencer boxing on this side of the pond reach new heights. With Jake Paul taking the reins in the US, its growth doesn’t look like it’ll stop anytime soon.
Hearn, who also has a deal with DAZN, was discussing the latest Misfits card on the DAZN Boxing Show when he joined others in praising Salt Papi – an undercard fighter who produced a perfectly-timed knockout over Josh Brueckner.
WHAT A KNOCKOUT ??? #saltpapi #ksivstemper #Misfits004 #Misfitsboxing #KSITemper @misfitsboxing pic.twitter.com/5eDYveebxG
— Nathan Armstrong (@Nath_Arm) January 14, 2023
With a name – Busta Breezie – almost more impressive than his ring alias and a flashy style that usually ends in a stoppage, he just might be a promoter’s dream. Hearn certainly seems to think so, as he told the DAZN Boxing Show with a smile that he’d like to turn introduce the YouTuber to the proper professional ranks.
“I saw some okay boxing. Salt Papi can fight. Salt Papi’s my favourite. I want to turn Salt Papi pro. Real pro and see what we can do with him. He’s a man of the people – he’s got a belly like me. Love it.”
The Filipino who spent his teenage years in England has drawn praise from the boxing world, with both Sunny Edwards and Ryan Garcia commenting on his knockout. Manny Pacquiao also sent a message of support.
There were rumours circulating online that he had even had up to 40 amateur fights in the Philippines, but the influencer shot them down in typical fashion.
https://twitter.com/therealsaltpapi/status/1614421917301080065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1614421917301080065%7Ctwgr%5E323d4e1925beb5415ea2e5a1868c6652eacaa53c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.express.co.uk%2Fsport%2Fboxing%2F1721508%2FSalt-Papi-Josh-Brueckner-Misfits-4-YouTube-boxing-news
With Jake Paul moving away from fighting his contemporaries to professional fighters, who’s to say Salt Papi might not be next?
