MMA fighter Nate Diaz, during a post-fight press conference, acknowledged the boxing ability of YouTuber Jake Paul following a their bout, but argued that Paul isn’t a real fighter, indicated that he was open to a rematch in either MMA or boxing, and suggested that the Professional Fighters League (PFL) could co-promote with Real Fight Inc. for it.
Nate Diaz expressed his respect for YouTube star Jake Paul’s boxing skills after going against him in a tough competition in Dallas that lasted ten rounds. Despite this acknowledgment, Diaz, however, maintained that he does not consider Paul a genuine fighter. Diaz voiced his feelings at the post-match conference, indicating his distaste for Paul’s demeaning comments during their training sessions. He noted that he has no issues with friendly rivalry but does not appreciate his opponent’s attempts to personalize their feud.
The 38-year-old Diaz demonstrated his boxing prowess in his long-anticipated professional boxing debut against Jake Paul but lost by unanimous decision, with scores of 98-91, 98-91, and 97-92. Stockton’s Paul landed 174 punches on Diaz, outnumbering him by 31, and even managed to score a knockdown in the fifth round. Diaz, true to his form, did not give up. He pursued Paul aggressively in the subsequent rounds, frequently taunting his younger opponent.
Diaz also managed to catch Paul in a standing guillotine choke in the final moments of the concluding round, proving his point that had it been a real fight and not a boxing match, he would have emerged the victor. He reflected on his curiosity surrounding his professional boxing experience, stating that now that he had engaged in a pro-boxing match, he felt it was similar to what he had previously trained for in MMA sparring sessions.
After the match, Diaz and Paul revisited Paul’s $10 million challenge for an MMA rematch. Paul is still awaiting his official foray into MMA and is currently exclusively signed with the PFL for any potential debut in the discipline. Diaz remains open to the idea of an MMA rematch in partnership with Real Fight Inc if the PFL consents to co-promote. Despite the loss, Diaz expressed his readiness to compete again within a few months, considering the minimal facial damage he sustained from Paul. However, he also remains open to exploring more opportunities in boxing. Either way, it’s clear Diaz’s rivalry with Paul is far from concluded.