Dustin Poirier has suggested that Jake Paul holds an advantage over Nate Diaz as their boxing match approaches.
UFC icon Diaz left the mixed martial arts promotion in September, and he is due to box YouTube star Paul in August. While Diaz, 38, is the much more experienced fighter, 26-year-old Paul has triumphed against UFC legend Anderson Silva, ex-UFC champion Tyron Woodley, and former UFC star Ben Askren in the boxing ring, proving his capability against veterans.
Discussing the Paul vs Diaz match-up on The MMA Hour, the pair’s fellow American Poirier said: “Man, Jake’s younger, bigger, faster. It’s not an easy fight.
“Just because Nate’s a grizzled veteran with the right experience, and Jake’s a new guy who’s on YouTube... He’s got the money and the amenities to surround himself with the best people and dedicate himself to fighting, and he’s younger and more explosive.
“And I think Diaz’s boxing is good for MMA; it’s a completely different thing.”
Paul is 6-1 as a professional boxer, having suffered his first defeat when he was outpointed by Tommy Fury in February.
Meanwhile, Diaz will be making his pro boxing debut when he fights Paul in Dallas.
Diaz was due to fight Poirier in the UFC in 2018, but the bout fell through. It is a match-up that Poirier has let go of, he said on The MMA Hour.
“Of course, I always wanted to fight him,” said Poirier, 34. “Never say never, but it looks like it’s gone.”
Poirier did wish Diaz well, however, in his boxing endeavour.
“Look, I want everybody to be paid and to succeed. Whether it’s in this organisation or that, I don’t care. We’re putting it all on the line out there, so I hope he got whatever he was looking for.
“I hope it all works out. I hope he gets paid.”
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