Jake Paul steps back into the boxing ring this weekend to face former UFC star Nate Diaz in a 10-round cruiserweight bout at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Paul, coming off a razor-close split-decision loss to Tommy Fury in his last fight, has undergone a remarkable transformation in his team and training for the high-stakes clash against Diaz.
Meanwhile, former UFC lightweight title challenger Nate Diaz is set to make his boxing debut this weekend. Famed for his unwavering tenacity and extraordinary endurance, Diaz has faced an array of top-notch competitors in his illustrious UFC career.
The Stockton native holds notable victories over the likes of Conor McGregor, Tony Ferguson, and Donald Cerrone. Diaz is renowned for his rebellious spirit and refusal to conform to the customary promotional activities leading up to fights. Rather than adhering to traditional methods, he opts for an authentic approach to promote his fights.
However, this unconventional approach has left Jake Paul feeling somewhat disappointed. Given Diaz's widespread popularity in the combat sports world, Paul expected him to share the responsibility of promoting their upcoming clash. Yet, so far, this burden seems to have fallen solely on Paul's shoulders.
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During fight week, fans expected Nate Diaz to ramp up promotions. However, staying true to his style, Diaz surprised everyone by abruptly walking away during a face-to-face interview with Jake Paul.
This move has led to fans speculating worst-case scenarios, with one fan writing:
"Possible panic attack or something by the way he was moving etc."
Another fan wrote:
"Nate just wanted a blunt, that's all. Or maybe he had the munchies already."
Yet another fan wrote:
"Nate can't handle the cringe."
Check out some of the best reactions below:
"Don't watch" - Nate Diaz snubs promotional hype for Jake Paul boxing match
Ahead of his highly anticipated boxing debut against Jake Paul on August 5, former UFC veteran Nate Diaz remains unfazed by the pre-fight banter.
Diaz, known for his no-nonsense approach, has refused to engage in verbal fencing with Paul during the fight build-up. In a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Diaz expressed his focus on the bout itself, stating:
"I am not in a gimmick fight with him. I only need him to know that I'll whoop his a**. I don’t need the whole world. Don’t watch [when asked about Paul questioning his contribution towards promoting the fight].”
Catch Diaz's comments below (6:30):
Despite Paul's attempts to antagonize Diaz, the Stockton native maintains a stoic demeanor, opting to let his fists do the talking in the ring. While fans speculate on the outcome, several boxers and analysts have claimed that Paul is likely to emerge victorious in their matchup.
However, history has proven that Diaz is a tenacious fighter who never goes down without a fight. All of this has left fans eagerly awaiting to witness the ultimate showdown and discover who will emerge triumphant this Saturday.