Jack Kenmare
YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI has posted old footage of Nate Diaz in sparring ahead of the Stockton-born fighter's upcoming boxing bout with Jake Paul.
It was announced last week that former UFC Welterweight contender Diaz will face off against Paul [6-1] on August 5 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Contested at 185 pounds, the eight-round fight – a 50-50 collaboration between Paul's Most Valuable Promotions and Diaz's Real Fight Inc – will be the latter's first career professional boxing match.
Paul, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back after his February defeat to Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia.
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"My last fight didn't end the way I wanted, but the result was the best thing that could have happened to my professional boxing aspirations," Paul said in a statement.
"Now, the world thinks I am vulnerable, when all I am is more focused than ever.
"My team wanted me to take an easy fight like KSI next, but that's not how I am built. Nate Diaz is considered one of the most bad-ass fighters of all time, but he and his team have been running their mouths for too long."
So what should Paul expect come fight night? There is a fair amount of sparring footage of the 38-year-old in action, including an ESNEWS video from 2019 that KSI recently posted on Twitter.
Here's how fans reacted to the above footage.
One said: "His strikes always looked lazy, but the punches are accurate and his opponents heads get snapped back when he lands. Add the fact that he throws with volume / has crazy cardio / and high lvl jujitsu makes him a monster. Shouts out his coach Richard Perez."
A second wrote: "This guy is so strange. His fighting looks not even that good but all of his opponents struggling with him," while a third commented: "t’s the accuracy of the shots, mannnn.... people sleep on his striking and his accuracy."
A fourth added: "I think the fact that he's a right handed southpaw will do him in in an actual boxing match. It may work for mma/grappling but boxing is completely different. He'll be eating right hands all day and not be able to counter with his power hand."
In addition to the above footage, WBC super lightweight champion Regis Prograis shared the ring with Diaz in 2020 and was impressed with the former UFC fighter's potential.
Prograis said: “Nate was in here, warming up and stuff, and his sparring partner didn’t come. And it was like, ‘S***! Do you wanna spar?’ I was like, ‘Hell yeah!’
“I was bloated, I was slow, but I still had the power, and it was pay-per-view TV. I’ve still got the video and one day I’ll put it out – we ran it, for sure.”
You can see footage of that brutal session between Prograis and Diaz below.
Do you think Diaz has a chance against Paul?
Let us know in the comments.