YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul and ex-UFC bad boy Nate Diaz will compete in a boxing match Aug. 5 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, officials told ESPN on Wednesday. The bout will be contested at 185 pounds and is contracted for eight rounds with 10-ounce gloves. The pay-per-view bout will be distributed globally by DAZN.
The event will be a 50-50 collaboration between Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and Diaz’s Real Fight Inc. It will be the first time Diaz has ever promoted himself, the first time he’ll fight outside the UFC in 15 years and his first career pro boxing match. Diaz has competed in some of the biggest pay-per-view events in UFC history, and Paul has made a name for himself as a boxing draw despite his experience level.
Diaz and Paul have exchanged trash talk on social media and in interviews over the past 18 months. In October, during a boxing event headlined by Paul and UFC legend Anderson Silva, Diaz’s team and Paul’s team got into an altercation backstage. And Paul challenged Diaz in his postfight interview after defeating Silva.
Jake Paul and Nate Diaz will face off in a boxing bout on Aug. 5 🍿 pic.twitter.com/i0ZFIoKbGb
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 12, 2023
Nate Diaz on boxing Jake Paul on Aug 5th: “Besides Canelo he’s the biggest thing in boxing. 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***ed up Conor McGregor for acting out and now here I am again, like a superhero.”
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) April 12, 2023