The much-anticipated boxing clash between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal is just a few days away, and the fans are excited about the clash. Former UFC fighters have faced each other inside the Octagon in the past. However, this time, the pair will face each other inside a boxing ring. The fight will occur on July 6 at Anaheim’s Honda Center and is scheduled for ten rounds.

Before the clash, Nate Diaz sat with ESPN’s Andreas Hale for a candid chat. During the conversation, he shared that he was more interested in facing Masvidal in an MMA fight. But why did they end up boxing each other? Let us find out.

Nate Diaz shares how he got into a boxing fight with Jorge Masvidal

MMA fighters switching to boxing is not something new and has happened in the past. However, in this case, both the fighters are MMA specialists and are still competing in a boxing fight.

Talking about the upcoming fight, Diaz made it clear that he always wanted to fight ‘Gamebred’ in a proper MMA fight. But, he feels UFC played a massive role in not letting that happen after the Stockton native decided to leave the promotion. “I don’t know if I can sleep with doing that. Like we should be fighting a whole fighting so I can whip his whole a..s. you know what I’m saying,” Diaz said.

“I had a lot of convincing. I was like, why don’t we fight an MMA? Oh, he can’t fight MMA, he is not allowed. So I was like, well as long as we get to go out there and settle some is the biggest deal outside the UFC for me. Because none of the boxers wants to box. Then UFC wants to lock me down forever. So it was the biggest fight. The biggest thing I can do at the moment,” Diaz further added.

Both fighters previously met at UFC 244, 2019 for the inaugural BMF belt fight. The fight ended because of a doctor’s stoppage with Masvidal winning the fight via TKO. Now Diaz can level the score when they meet on July 6.

While the duo is scheduled to fight each other in a boxing fight, Jake Paul wants to face them in MMA. Before the much-anticipated clash, he made an offer to both of them.

Jake Paul wants to try his hands at MMA next and already has opponents in mind

Jake Paul always finds a way to challenge himself in unique ways. The former social media influencer has just begun his professional boxing career and is set to take on Mike Tyson next. However, it seems he is not quite satisfied with it. ‘The Problem Child’ now wants to try his hand at MMA. Paul took to his ‘BS’ podcast to challenge Masvidal and Diaz.

Paul previously faced Diaz in a boxing clash in August 2023 and ended up beating the UFC star. During one of the episodes of his podcast, the 27-year-old showed his interest in MMA. Making an offer to both Masvidal and Diaz, he said, “I’m being so serious when I say that I want to fight them in MMA. Either Masvidal or Diaz in the PFL. Ten million dollar offer for either one of those guys.” 

Paul is currently focused on his next opponent, Mike Tyson, but wants to face Masvidal and Diaz after that fight. He further added that he wanted six months to prepare himself for MMA. Do you feel Jake Paul can take on the UFC legends in a MMA fight? Let us know in the comments below.