Jake Paul and UFC star Nate Diaz have scheduled an eight-round boxing match in Dallas on Aug. 5.
The bout at the American Airlines Center will be contested at 185 pounds, organizers confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.
Paul, 26, suffered his first loss in seven career fights in his most recent match, a split decision against Tommy Fury on Feb. 26 in Saudi Arabia.
“My last fight didn’t end the way I wanted, but the result was the best thing that could have happened to my professional boxing aspirations,” Paul said in a statement. “Now, the world thinks I am vulnerable, when all I am is more focused than ever. My team wanted me to take an easy fight like KSI next, but that’s not how I am built. Nate Diaz is considered one of the most bad-ass fighters of all time, but he and his team have been running their mouths for too long.”
It will be the first professional boxing match for Diaz, 37, who owns an MMA record of 21-13. His last UFC fight was a win by submission against Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 on Sept. 10, 2022, in Las Vegas.
Diaz is probably best known for handing Conor McGregor his first UFC loss in 2016.
“Besides Canelo (Alvarez), he’s the biggest thang in boxing,” Diaz said of Paul in a statement. “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 (messed) up Conor for acting out and now here I am again, like a Super Hero of the Real Fight game, the King of the Real Fight game.”
The fight is being co-produced by Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and Diaz’s Real Fight Inc. The pay-per-view bout will be distributed globally by DAZN.
–Field Level Media