Lessons From Tony Ferguson’s Shocking Stoppage of Salt Papi

MMA icon Tony Ferguson returned to the winners’ circle after a six-year losing streak with a stunning TKO of social media sensation-turned-boxer Salt Papi late in the third round of their scheduled five-rounder at Misfits 22 last August 30.

Here are three lessons to come from one of the more interesting exhibition boxing matchups in 2025.

Salt Papi possesses the fundamentals, but still lacks polish

It has been over three years since the 31-year-old first stepped into the ring, and yet there is no discernible difference in his skills (at least in this writer’s eyes).

Looking back at his unanimous decision defeat to Anthony Taylor in May 2023, Salt Papi, real name Nathaniel Bustamante, got off to a strong start owing to his slick combinations in close range and patient offense featuring crisp counter-punching. However, he was barely active in the second round and got tagged badly thanks to a glaring lack of head movement — a trend that continued until the final bell.

This was exactly how his clash with “El Cucuy” turned out. 

He took control of the flow early, hoping to take away Ferguson’s three-inch reach advantage and pressure him into mistakes. In the second frame, Salt Papi noticeably slowed down and, confusingly, walked into power shots. Ferguson took his chance and poured on the punches leading up to the stoppage in the third round.

Salt Papi’s passion for boxing is evident, and he should be applauded for having the guts to dive headfirst into the sweet science. Not everyone has the courage and drive to do it.

But one has to wonder how long before he resolves his stamina issues and develops his fight IQ to a much more serviceable degree.

Tony Ferguson again proves why pro fighters (regardless of age) are a different breed

Oddsmakers had Tony Ferguson as the underdog and understandably so. Being 10 years older than Salt Papi, riding an eight-fight losing streak, and it being his professional boxing debut, even fans of the former UFC interim lightweight champion were wary of this matchup even taking place.

While he wouldn’t be able to showcase his dazzling display of grappling, Ferguson instead proved that his many, many years of combat sports experience mattered most.

Allowing Salt Papi to be the aggressor as soon as the opening bell rang was a massive gamble since five of his six wins have come by way of a finish. Ferguson, in classic fashion, rolled with the heavy hands headed his way, and while he did get clipped a couple of times, it gave him and his cornermen some much-needed data on how to adjust.

Fortunately for the textbook definition of an unorthodox fighter, Salt Papi hurt his thumb in the first round, which further compounded his aforementioned stamina concerns. Ferguson surged ahead in the second round and started wrecking shop on his much younger counterpart until he produced the fight-ending flurry.

For what it’s worth, Tony Ferguson is certainly the type of guy to go on a record-breaking losing streak just to make the comeback win feel that much better.

RELATED: The Philippine Combat Game Takes 2025 By Storm

A justifiably early stoppage

Fans took to social media immediately after the bout was halted to validate their thoughts on whether it was indeed an early stoppage. Many cited the referee not allowing Salt Papi to respond to the barrage that Tony Ferguson unleashed en route to the referee calling for the bell.

All-Star Magazine recently spoke with seasoned Filipino combat sports journalist and boxing aficionado Nissi Icasiano to give his thoughts on the matter — especially whether the stoppage was justified or not.

“It’s fair to argue that the stoppage seemed premature. Since Salt Papi wasn’t visibly staggered by the combinations, he should have been given the benefit of the doubt to continue and prove whether he could still fight,” he mentioned.

“That said, we can’t overlook the referee’s responsibility to protect the fighters, especially against someone as seasoned as Tony Ferguson.”

But this begs two more questions: what are referees REALLY looking for in such situations, and why is it almost always a controversial decision?

Icasiano stood firm on the principle that a referee’s primary responsibility is a fighter’s safety and that, “in boxing, it’s always better to stop a fight a little too early than a little too late,” due to the long list of legends with head injuries that have dotted the sport throughout its history.

In the case of Ferguson versus Salt Papi, the former sports newsroom editor highlighted that the referee acknowledged the former’s experience in the sport and prioritized the latter’s health over everything else.

“From my standpoint, the referee could have allowed Salt Papi to continue, as he appeared capable of pressing on. Considering Salt Papi’s unconventional path into boxing — emerging from social media fame rather than a traditional athletic background — it is understandable why some felt the referee acted in his best interest,” Icasiano stated.

Karl Batungbacal is a sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience covering multiple sporting events such as the NBA, UAAP, ONE Championship, and the WWE. Deeply passionate about crafting stories that need to be told and heard.