Jake Paul is confident all signs point to a Conor McGregor fight if he knocks out Nate Diaz in their upcoming boxing match.
YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul, 26, is scheduled to meet UFC legend Diaz, 38, over eight rounds at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on August 5. McGregor recently backed his former opponent Diaz to win his professional boxing debut against Paul, stating: "I think Nate Diaz slaps the head off him and I look forward to seeing it!”
Paul has now responded to McGregor's prediction by stating the Irishman has "trauma" from his 2016 loss to Diaz, which at the time marked his first UFC defeat. “I think he’s got trauma from when Nate slapped his head off,” Paul said at the launch press conference for his fight with Diaz.
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“I like that, I like people that doubt me. I’m going to do what Conor couldn’t do, quite literally, and put a wrench in all of these plans here. I know Nate wanted to get out of the UFC, come make a bunch of money, fight me, win, then go back and probably fight Conor in the UFC. So that’s what these guys are hoping for. I’m going to stop all that.”
Paul looks to get back in the win column against Diaz having suffered his first professional defeat in February at the hands of Love Island star Tommy Fury. Paul wants to face Fury again but will have to get past Diaz first, a veteran of 34 MMA fights who has previously sparred with boxing world champions such as Andre Ward and Regis Prograis.
'The Problem Child' believes Diaz made perfect sense as his next opponent and is predicting a knockout win against the UFC legend. McGregor has been one of the names Paul has been pushing to fight ever since ditching his internet fame to pursue a career in the ring and he thinks the crossover clash would be the biggest fight in combat sports.
“This fight made the most sense and the opportunity was there, he was a free agent,” Paul told ESPN. “Nate is someone I’ve always wanted to fight and someone that’s always been on my list. I see a roadmap where I knock out Nate and go to Conor McGregor. Do what Conor couldn’t do, knock out Nate, then that would be the biggest fight in combat sports that could possibly be made, me vs Conor.”
