Rated WBO #5 and the current WBO NABO Bantamweight Champion, Nieves (16-0-2, 8 KOs) has already appeared on Showtime and BET and is eager to follow in the footsteps of NBA Champ Cleveland Cavaliers and win a world championship.
“It feels good having a promoter who has been in the fight game and knows what’s best to get me where I need to be,” said Nieves. “I feel that we can work together to get me quickly to my dream of fighting for a world title.”
29-year-old Nieves, who lives in Cleveland, is a banker for the PNC Bank in Cleveland, Ohio. As an amateur, Nieves was the 2011 National Golden Gloves Runner-Up and the 2011 US Nationals Bronze Medalist, as well as a five-time Cleveland Metro Golden Gloves Champion.
He connected with Salita through his manager, David McWater.
“I’m thrilled to be working with Salita Promotions. It’s a great match for Team Nieves,” said McWater. “Nobody works harder than Antonio Nieves, so we were looking for a promoter with the same kind of drive and determination. We’ve found that with Dmitry Salita! The same qualities that made him a champion in the ring make him an outstanding no-nonsense promoter.”
Salita says Nieves is close to a world-title shot and to his ultimate dream.
“I would love to do a big televised fight between (fellow Ohio resident) WBA Super World Bantamweight Champion Rau’shee Warren and Antonio in Cleveland,” said Salita. “Antonio and Rasheed are a natural cross-state world title rivalry. I’m happy to be working with such an honest and hard-working fighter like Antonio and his team. I see big fights on his near horizon.”
