FSM Preview: Paul Vs Diaz

Paul vs Diaz | Franchise Sports Media Jake Paul and Nate Diaz face off

Photo Credit: Noah Red & Alexis Contreras

The War is on as Jake Paul steps back into the ring to take on Nate Diaz.

Paul vs Diaz is happening!

Paul vs Diaz | Franchise Sports Media Jake Paul and Tommy Fury — *Photo Credit: Noah Red & Alexis Contreras*

After sustaining the first loss of his short boxing career earlier this year to Tommy Fury, Jake Paul returns to the squared circle to battle another MMA star in Nate Diaz, who is making his professional boxing debut.

Paul (6-1 4 KOs) has had mixed reviews through his first seven pro bouts, despite knocking out former NBA player Nate Robinson, former MMA champions Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, and even knocking down UFC Hall of Fame Anderson Silva. Despite his mighty right hand, Paul still has much growth to do inside the ring. Footwork, head movement, cardio, technique, and combinations are still in the learning stages for the 26-year-old YouTuber. But he has shown a willingness to get inside the ropes and go to battle with his opponents, and if he can land that right hand, they generally find their way to the mat.

The hype had a sudden derailment when Paul lost to Tommy Fury in February of this year. In the highly anticipated fight, Paul sometimes looked sluggish, didn’t put together consistent punch combinations, and became a one-trick pony, merely looking for that right hand to deliver once again. Paul did acknowledge that he had some injuries that hampered his training for the bout and vowed to come back stronger and better. How much improvement can be made in six months? We are about to find out.

Paul vs Diaz is more than a hype fight, there is bad blood between them!

Making his long awaited debut, the Stockton bad boy finally steps into the ring to test himself against a long standing rival.

Paul vs Diaz is taking place in Dallas,Texas.

Paul vs Diaz | Franchise Sports Media Jake Paul and Nate Diaz — *Photo Credit: Noah Red & Alexis Contreras*

Nate Diaz, the long-time fan favorite in the UFC, is making the crossover from the Octagon to the ring. In MMA, Diaz went 21-13 12 SUBs 5 KOs. While primarily known for his grappling, Diaz always had a boxing approach when it came to striking. Under his boxing coach Richard Perez, Diaz, a Bay Area native, has trained with boxing great Andre Ward over the years. So while the gloves and ring will be new to the Bad Boy, the fight game itself will be familiar territory. With its toughness and conditioning, boxing has shown to be a different animal to deal with for former MMA stars. Will Diaz be able to showcase a smooth transition and be the first MMA fighter to defeat Paul? Or will Diaz fall to be yet another victim?

Despite two shocking showings, Paul was still considered a sideshow. Then he stepped up in competition and defeated former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. While a closely contested bout, Paul still saw his hand raised. A rematch saw Paul knockout Woodley, similar to how he put Robinson away. In his last outing, Paul took on former UFC middleweight champion and MMA legend Anderson Silva, dropping the former champion on his way to a decision victory. While not taking on future boxing prospects like most fighters do when they only have six bouts, Paul’s celebrity status, high-profile opponents, and highlight-level finishes have made him one of the more “what if” names in the ranks. Ultimately, the plan one day for Paul is to stand across from famed boxing legend Canelo Alveraz but to get there, he must get past Fury.

Paul vs Diaz will be a sight to see. Does Paul bounce back and reestablish himself in the boxing world as a fighter to be taken seriously? Can Diaz break the mold of former MMA stars not finding their footing inside the ring? While the hype leading into this fight isn’t what many thought it would be, history has shown that when the lights are on and the stage is set, these two will bring it and look to put on a show.

Who is going to win Paul vs Diaz?