Nate Diaz has said he knows the ‘secret’ to Jake Paul’s success as a boxer, while warning the YouTube star: ‘I’m in on it, too.’
UFC icon Diaz, 38, will make his professional boxing debut on Saturday, facing Paul in Dallas, Texas. The bout will mark Diaz’s first fight since leaving the UFC in September, when he submitted Tony Ferguson. Meanwhile, 26-year-old Paul last fought in February, suffering his first loss as he was beaten on points by Tommy Fury.
Prior to that result, American Paul was unbeaten with wins over ex-UFC champions Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley, as well as mixed martial arts star Ben Askren. Paul knocked out Askren, beat Woodley on points then via knockout in a rematch, before defeating Silva via decision.
Addressing his compatriot’s boxing career ahead of their fight this weekend, Diaz said on Wednesday (2 August): “The thing about him is, he knows that MMA fighters can’t box and they’re in over their heads trying to box, because he went in there and worked a bunch over in training and in fights.
“MMA fighters don’t know this, but the only thing about that is: I’m in on the same secret, and I’ve been in on that since I was 15. I’m not your average wrestler, MMA fighter.
“I didn’t wrestle. When these guys he fought were in the wrestling room at five, six, seven, 10, 15 years old, I was boxing the whole neighbourhood, boxing every pro I could find. I was boxing the highest level I could find, my whole career.”
As a mixed martial artist, Diaz is best known for his jiu-jitsu skills, although his volume striking and cardio also characterised his UFC run.
In contrast, Woodley and Askren were predominantly wrestlers, although Silva is seen by many as the greatest striker in MMA history.
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