Nate Diaz is one of the many MMA fighters to have taken on Jake Paul inside the boxing ring.
Diaz, a former UFC cult legend, faced the YouTuber-turned-boxer in his first contest away from the Octagon. He fought Paul in August 2023 at cruiserweight and, although lasting the distance, he lost a unanimous decision having been put on the canvas in the fifth round.
The Stockton fighter believes he should have won and said it was ‘the easiest fight of his life’.
“That was the biggest I’ve ever been and the laziest I’ve ever been. He’s not very scary so it was hard to give a f**k about.
I still think I won the fight, I think I lost two rounds in the whole fight.
He was my biggest option at the time and i was like a training day, it was he easiest fight of my life. If you think about it, it was the biggest I’ve ever been and the longest I’ve ever fought, I think that was the easiest fight I’ve ever had. Every fight is hard, I don’t care if you’re fighting Joe Blow but that was the easiest.”
The 10-1 boxer, whose only loss came against Tommy Fury, had been scheduled to face former Mike Tyson on July 20, but an ulcer flare-up for the 58-year-old forced him to postpone the bout. The former undisputed heavyweight champion said at the time:
“I want to thank my fans around the world for their support and understanding during this time. Unfortunately, due to my ulcer flareup, I have been advised by my doctor to lighten my training for a few weeks to rest and recover.
My body is in better overall shape than it has been since the 1990s and I will be back to my full training schedule soon. Jake Paul, this may have bought you some time, but in the end you will still be knocked out and out of boxing for good. I appreciate everyone’s patience and can’t wait to deliver an unforgettable performance later this year.”
The fight has now been rescheduled for the end of the year and when asked by FightHype about the match-up, Diaz had no doubt ‘Iron’ Mike would get the victory.
“I like it, i think it’s cool. I think, s**t, Mike Tyson all the way!”
Paul vs Tyson takes place on November 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Texas and will be streamed live on Netflix.
