Jake Paul is officially welcoming Nate Diaz to the world of boxing.
Diaz ended his 15-year run with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in Sept. 2022, finishing his contract with a fourth round guillotine choke against Tony Ferguson (watch highlights). Before Diaz lined up his exit bout, speculation ran rampant about Diaz’s future, which many expected to take place in the squared circle.
Paul was the likeliest candidate from the beginning, taking verbal jabs at Diaz whenever the opportunity presented. His big brother, Logan, also found himself as a possible candidate for Diaz, who thought he already dusted up the YouTube star in a Bourbon Street brawl.
Despite Logan feeling he was the favorite to land the match up, Jake informed him that was never the case.
“You never had it locked up,” Paul said on IMPAULSIVE. “I told you he’s playing both sides. Basically some of the people who you work with like [bleeped out name], he doesn’t know what the f—k he’s doing, bro. He does and he doesn’t. Just throwing money at someone doesn’t make them want to do it. At the end of the day, what it came down to, honestly, is that he thought that world would view our fight as way more legitimate. Him fighting you to him was like a money grab because you hadn’t ‘beaten anybody.’”
Between the Paul brothers, Jake (6-1) has taken his career as a boxer more seriously. Meanwhile, Logan has found hishis home in the pro wrestling world, signing with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in July 2022.
As a boxer, Logan has competed three times as an amateur, pro, and in an exhibition. He’s yet to win inside the ring, fighting to a draw with Olajide “KSI” Olatunji, a no-decision against Floyd Mayweather Jr., and a split decision loss to KSI.