Published 13:49 IST, August 6th 2023
Nate Diaz throws a headlock on Jake Paul during the epic fight, referee intervenes - WATCH
Jake Paul defeated Nate Diaz on the judges' scorecards. The YouTuber-turned-boxer showed significant progress, but Diaz gave him a taste of Mixed Martial Arts.
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At the American Airlines Centre in Dallas, Jake Paul overcame Nate Diaz in an exciting 10-round encounter. While Paul was unbeatable, with strength, and boxing expertise, Diaz was unarguably an audience favourite. The judges gave Jake Paul ratings of 97-92, 98-91, and 98-91 and honoured him for his exceptional performance during the competition.
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Jake Paul vs Nate Diaz match almost had a MMA moment
Nate Diaz, who has experience in mixed martial arts, briefly turned to his knowledge by placing Jake Paul in a guillotine choke during their fight in Dallas, Texas. Despite the manoeuvre, the fight was still a boxing match, and according to the judges' scorecards, Paul won by unanimous decision.
In his professional boxing debut, Diaz faced up against the more seasoned Paul. The fight got off to a slow start but picked up steam as it went on. The few punches he managed to land didn't seem to bother Paul much, however, as he seemed to maintain control throughout the fight. The crucial exchange took place in the fifth round when Paul downed Diaz with a hard left hook.
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How much money could Diaz possibly make after the fight?
With one of the highest ever live gates for a combat sports event at American Airlines Centre, Diaz will still walk away with a sizeable payday despite the defeat. The pay-per-view figures are also anticipated to help Diaz reach a career-high salary. Estimates put Diaz's salary for the fight at roughly $500,000, with the possibility to go as high as $1.5 million, depending on pay-per-view sales. Diaz stated his acceptance of the results despite his disappointment at the outcome and admitted that he had hoped to have performed better.
“It’s tough. I wish I could’ve done better and did better things. …But it’s all good,"
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He will likely make his way back to the UFC and take on Conor McGregor in a trilogy of fights. Diaz was one of the UFC's most well-known athletes and had a prosperous 17-year career. In 2016, he famously defeated McGregor, handing the Irishman his first defeat. After defeating Tony Ferguson in September of the previous year, Diaz left the UFC as a free agent. In order to find the most important and exciting fights on his own terms, he founded his organisation, Real Fight Inc.
13:49 IST, August 6th 2023