Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz are getting an extra month of preparation for their boxing rematch.
The sequel to Masvidal and Diaz’s mixed martial arts (MMA) clash from UFC 244 was set to go down at the start of next month (Sat., June 1, 2024). Per Boxing Scene, Masvidal vs. Diaz 2 has been delayed one month and will go down on July 6, 2024. The Fanmio-promoted event will remain inside the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.
Masvidal, 39, is still under UFC contract but has revealed he was allowed permission to compete in the match. However, the original fight date coincided with UFC 302, which will feature a Lightweight title tilt between the champion, Islam Makhachev, and Masvidal’s longtime American Top Team (ATT) teammate, Dustin Poirier. The date change was reportedly a reaction to avoiding any limitations in viewership from going head-to-head with UFC.
The match will be Masvidal’s second foray into the professional boxing world. His debut saw him earn a majority decision win against Joseph Benjamin in 2005 (35-17 in MMA). Since then, Diaz made his debut in the sport when he fought Jake Paul to a unanimous decision loss this past August 2023 (watch highlights).
Diaz, 39, is currently the last win on Masvidal’s MMA record. The pair’s first fight resulted in a Masvidal third round technical knockout via doctor’s stoppage when Diaz was badly cut in November 2019.
Unlike Masvidal, Diaz is no longer held down by UFC restrictions after he fought out his contract in the two fights that followed Masvidal. For Diaz, he went 1-1 to close out his UFC run when he dropped a unanimous decision to future champion, Leon Edwards, before submitting Tony Ferguson with a fourth round guillotine choke at UFC 279 in September 2022 (watch highlights).