Jake Paul, Nate Diaz to meet in Aug. 5 boxing match
YouTube personality turned prizefighter Jake Paul and former UFC star Nate Diaz will square off in a professional boxing match on Aug. 5 in Dallas, officials announced Wednesday.
It will be an eight-round bout contested at 185 pounds. Paul and Diaz will wear 10-ounce gloves. The fight will be distributed and co-produced globally by DAZN pay-per-view.
Paul's Most Valuable Promotions and Diaz's Real Fight Inc. have partnered to promote the fight.
Paul is coming off his first pro loss, a split decision to Tommy Fury, the half-brother of world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, in late February. The 26-year-old won six straight to begin his career, including a unanimous decision over former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva last October and a knockout of former UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley in December 2021.
After losing to Fury, Paul initially expressed interest in an immediate rematch.
Diaz, 37, will be making his pro boxing debut. He parted ways with the UFC as one of the biggest free agents in MMA history last year following a submission win over Tony Ferguson in the UFC 279 main event. Diaz is one of the most popular MMA fighters ever, having gained recognition for a win over Conor McGregor in 2016.
The Stockton native competed at 155 pounds for most of his MMA career but fought at 170 pounds more recently. Paul weighed in at 183.6 pounds for the Fury fight and has competed as heavy as 191.5 pounds.
Paul and Diaz have gone back and forth on social media and in interviews for more than a year. Diaz and his team got into an altercation with Paul's team backstage at the Paul-Silva fight last October in Arizona. And then, after Paul defeated Silva, he challenged Diaz to a boxing match.
In January, Paul said he would also fight Diaz in MMA should Diaz agree to a boxing match. Paul signed a deal with the PFL, one of the biggest MMA promotions in the world, and plans to make his MMA debut in 2024.
"The world thinks I am vulnerable (after the loss to Fury) when all I am is more focused than ever," Paul said in a press release. "My team wanted me to take an easy fight like (fellow YouTube star) KSI next, but that's not how I am built.
"Nate Diaz is considered one of the most badass fighters of all time, but he and his team have been running their mouths for too long."
Diaz has made it known that he plans to return to the UFC one day. But first, he wants to put Paul in his place.
"Besides Canelo (Alvarez), he's the biggest thing in boxing," Diaz said of Paul in the release. "I'm here to conquer that. I'm the king of combat sports, and then I'm headed back to get my UFC belts.
"I f----d up Conor for acting out, and now here I am again."