Early Life
Nathaniel Bustamante, popularly known as "Salt Papi," was born on February 24, 1994, in Candelaria, Quezon, Philippines. At the age of 14, he relocated to London with his family. Though he admired boxing idols like Manny Pacquiao from a young age, Bustamante did not have access to formal training or a boxing gym during his youth.
Transition to Content Creation and Boxing
Before his boxing debut, Bustamante worked for several years as a nurse. He gained prominence as a content creator under the alias “Busta Breezie,” later known as “Salt Papi,” through viral TikTok videos—especially dancing and "fake run" challenges. His social media charisma earned him millions of followers across TikTok and YouTube.
Boxing Career Beginnings
Salt Papi made his exhibition boxing debut on March 5, 2022, defeating Halal Ham by unanimous decision at the SSE Arena in London. He then secured knockout victories against Andy Warski (August 27, 2022) and Josh Brueckner (January 14, 2023), both broadcast on Misfits Boxing cards. He suffered his first professional loss via unanimous decision to Anthony Taylor in May 2023; subsequently, he continued to compete in the influencer boxing scene, including bouts against Slim Albaher, Amadeusz Ferrari, and Dawood Savage.