Could Diaz be the latest MMA star to chance his hand at boxing?
Jake Paul is set to go up against decorated UFC welterweight Tyron Woodley later this year, but it appears he already has his sights set on a future clash – with another legend of the octagon.
Paul and Woodley are set to meet on August 28th this year, but the YouTuber already looks to have earmarked his next move.
I will knockout Nate Diaz after I knockout Woodley
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) June 13, 2021
In the wake of Nate Diaz’ loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 263, Paul promptly called Diaz out on Twitter – going so far as to claim he would “knock out” the 36-year-old fan favourite.
Paul dispatched with Tyron Woodley’s long-standing UFC teammate Ben Askren on March 28th, knocking Askren out in the first round.
The clash made 1.45 million pay per view buys on Triller, but was not without its critics. While an accomplished wrestler, Askren is not renowned for his boxing or striking ability.
In accepting a fight with Tyron Woodley, Paul is going up against a more natural striker – yet there remains a clamour for him to face a legitimate professional boxer.
Numerous call-outs from Tommy Fury (and his brother Tyson) seem to have fallen on deaf ears in recent weeks.
Whether Jake Paul and Nate Diaz eventually meet in the boxing ring remains to be seen.
One thing is for sure, however, and that is you might be waiting a while before the Paul brothers (or any YouTuber for that matter) get a shot at glory in the UFC.
Speaking to JOE ahead of his light-heavyweight bout with Jamahal Hill, Scotland’s Paul Craig said MMA would be a step too far for the YouTubers.
"You'll never see a YouTube star or a boxer become an MMA champion." 🥊
"They're gonna look so pathetic." 🤼♂️@LoganPaul might have lasted eight rounds with Floyd Mayweather, but he wouldn’t stand a chance in MMA according to the UFC's @PCraigMMA pic.twitter.com/cPlZ8McI9l
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) June 10, 2021
“When you’re boxing, all you have to worry about is hands,” said Craig.
“You’ve only got one skill (with boxing), but you have to worry about grappling, wrestling, judo, striking, kickboxing… You’ve got all these variations (in MMA) and I think it’s too dangerous.”
Craig, who defeated Hill after crushing the American’s arm into dislocation, also claimed this is why MMA stars have made the move into boxing and not vice versa.
“You’ll never see a YouTuber or a boxer say, ‘You know what, I think I can become an MMA champion.’
“That’s why we’ve never seen Conor McGregor fight Floyd Mayweather in some sort of MMA, because one leg kick to the thigh of any boxer, they’re gonna go down and it’s gonna look pathetic.”
