Nate Diaz unequivocally stated that, despite acknowledging Jake Paul’s boxing prowess after enduring 10 rounds against the YouTube sensation and coming out on the losing end, he does not consider Paul a genuine fighter.
“I’m not here to badmouth him,” Diaz expressed during Saturday’s post-bout press conference. “He’s been stepping into the ring with top-tier MMA professionals and has been involved in intense sparring sessions, working alongside quality individuals. Then he proceeds to throw insults my way throughout training camp. It comes with the territory, and everything’s acceptable in love and war, which I always embrace. Feel free to say whatever, that’s okay. But when you start crossing personal boundaries, uttering things you shouldn’t, it does hit a nerve when I say this is not an authentic fight.
“If it were a genuine fight, remember Logan Paul’s doppelgänger Rodney Petersen in New Orleans? No issue. This is not a bona fide fight to be addressing me in such a manner. This is a boxing contest. That’s what I was implying when I said he can’t really fight. It’s not meant as a gross insult. If you can’t actually fight, refrain from talking trash.”
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At 38 years old, Diaz demonstrated competitiveness in his highly-anticipated pro-boxing debut, yet lost to Paul via a one-sided unanimous decision according to the scorecards, with scores of 98-91, 98-91, and 97-92. Paul outscored the native of Stockton 174 to 143 in the official punch count and even secured a knockdown in round five. Nevertheless, Diaz showcased his signature toughness, pursuing Paul during the later rounds and frequently mocking his 26-year-old opponent.
In the dying moments of the final round, Diaz managed to briefly trap Paul in a standing guillotine choke, which underlined his earlier point.
“It’s done. That fight was already finished,” Diaz said. “In a real fight, we would have had a victory by now. But we were involved in a boxing match and it was enjoyable, and now I understand [what it feels like], out of curiosity.
“[Before the fight] I thought, I’m going to participate in a boxing bout and I have an idea [of what it will be like]. I’ve trained my entire career, sparring with professional boxers at the highest level I could reach, and I’ve always held my own. Despite never participating in a professional bout, I thought, ‘I reckon I could beat these guys.’ But that’s merely my perspective. Let’s get in there, experience it, and it felt exactly as I had envisioned.”
Post-fight, Diaz and Paul revisited the $10 million challenge proposed by Paul for an MMA rematch. Paul has yet to officially transition to MMA, but has signed an exclusive contract with the PFL for any potential MMA debut.
Diaz remains uncertain about his next move but is open to an MMA rematch if the PFL is amenable to co-promotion with Real Fight Inc. He believes he could be ready to fight again in “two, three, four months” considering the minimal facial injury he sustained from Paul, and remains interested in boxing.
However, one thing is certain: Diaz is not finished with Paul.
“We’re going to head home now, discuss it, and determine whether we want to pursue MMA or boxing, and then we’ll see what they’re up for,” Diaz said. “They expressed interest in the PFL angle, and I think if we’re to go that route, we’d have to co-promote, featuring Real Fight vs. PFL, and I’m on board. But my aim is to secure a rematch in any discipline.”
“We’ll see how he responds, whether he’s truly up for it,” Diaz added. “If not, I’ll be on his trail again. Either scenario suits me.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Nate Diaz Jake Paul Rematch
What was Nate Diaz’s opinion on Jake Paul’s fighting skills?
Nate Diaz acknowledged Jake Paul’s boxing abilities but emphasized that he does not consider Paul a real fighter. He stated that in a genuine fight scenario, he believes the outcome would have been different.
Did Nate Diaz propose a rematch against Jake Paul?
Yes, Nate Diaz proposed a rematch against Jake Paul, indicating that he is open to any form of competition, be it MMA or boxing.
What was the outcome of Nate Diaz’s boxing match against Jake Paul?
Jake Paul won a one-sided unanimous decision over Nate Diaz, according to the scorecards. The scores were 98-91, 98-91, and 97-92 in favor of Paul.
Who is Nate Diaz open to co-promote a rematch with?
Nate Diaz is open to co-promoting a rematch with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) if they are willing to collaborate with Real Fight Inc.
How soon does Nate Diaz anticipate he can fight again?
Nate Diaz believes he could be ready to fight again in “two, three, four months,” considering the minimal facial damage he sustained during his boxing match against Jake Paul.
More about Nate Diaz Jake Paul Rematch
- Nate Diaz’s Professional Record
- Jake Paul’s Professional Boxing Record
- Professional Fighters League (PFL) Official Site
- Real Fight Inc. Official Site
6 comments
didn’t expect Diaz to lose but hey, Jake’s got some skills. rematch would be exciting, for sure, in any discipline!
Man, Nate’s always keeping it real. No sugar-coating, just straight talk. He’s like, you ain’t a fighter Jake. Love it.
I’d love to see a rematch in the octagon! Diaz would take him down for sure. c’mon PFL make it happen!
Diaz v Paul II – in the cage!!! lets get it on. no more boxing nonsense. let’s see some real fighting.
its funny how nate talks bout this being a “boxing contest”, not a real fight. goes to show the respect mma fighters have for their sport.
nate sure got guts calling out Jake like that. But truth be told, he’s got a point. Jake’s good at boxing but mma, not so sure…