(Scypre.com) – Jake Paul rebounded impressively after his first career loss, securing a unanimous decision victory against MMA star Nate Diaz in a cruiserweight boxing match.
The 26-year-old YouTube personality, who has transitioned into a professional boxer, clearly dominated much of the 10-round bout on Saturday night. Although Diaz, a former UFC fighter who left the organization in 2022, came close to a knockout on several occasions. Reflecting on Diaz’s performance, Paul acknowledged, “It’s what I expected. That’s what he’s known for. I don’t know how he survived that first round, but he’s a dog and I walked the dog.”
In this match, Paul demonstrated improved conditioning compared to his previous fight, a split-decision loss against Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia last February. The judges scored the fight in Paul’s favor, with scores of 97-92, 98-91, and 98-91.
Diaz, aged 38, made his professional boxing debut and displayed some solid blows towards the end of the third round, momentarily wobbling Paul before the bell. He continued his offensive in the fourth round, drawing cheers from his supporters.
Despite Diaz’s efforts, Paul capitalized on an opportunity in the fifth round when Diaz seemed fatigued, sending him briefly to the canvas with a clean left hook followed by successive blows to the head.
Throughout the match, Diaz engaged in showboating, taunting Paul and even turning his back on him at times. He also mocked one of Paul’s punches in the ninth round. However, it was evident that Diaz was close to being knocked out on multiple occasions, and he appeared less steady on his feet as the later rounds unfolded.
In the end, Paul’s victory marked his third win against a former UFC fighter. He had previously knocked out Tyron Woodley with a single punch in December 2021 and defeated Anderson Silva by unanimous decision in September of the same year.