He is best known for winning the bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics against Irish boxer Michael Conlan.

Nikitin gained a bronze medal in the 2013 European Amateur Boxing Championships, losing to gold medallist John Joe Nevin in the semi-final.

Later that year, he won silver at the 2013 AIBA World Boxing Championships, losing in the final to Azerbaijan's Javid Chalabiyev.

His defeats of Chatchai Butdee and top seed Michael Conlan on judges decisions in the previous two rounds saw the Thai and Irish camps both question the integrity of the judges.

[2][3][4] Nikitin withdrew from the semi-final due to injuries sustained from the Conlan fight, but took home a bronze medal.