When talking about Jake Paul’s combat sports career, it’s correct to approach any fight he has with trepidation. His only fight against someone from a boxing lineage was Paul’s last bout and a loss to Tommy Fury in February, ending his undefeated run. Although the likes of Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Ben Askren were on the extreme backside of their careers, having big-time-fight experience can’t be underestimated. And Paul beat them all. And his next victim will be Nate Diaz — who learned that he’ll be subjected to weed testing for the fight — on Aug. 5. If you watched the press conference hyping the fight on Tuesday, it’s plain as a light fat-free mayonnaise packet.
During the photo-op and public display on trash talk better suited for the cesspool Twitter has become, Paul looked focused and ready to raise his profile in boxing against a similar opponent to ones he’s beaten before. Diaz looked ready for a paycheck and to cash in on his previous success before riding off into the sunset after leaving the UFC. I know how crazy Diaz is, and he’s not apeshit to fight Paul. It proved to be one last time to shine for Woodley and Askren after their UFC careers. Silva proved to be too much of a household name where no matter what happened against Paul, it wouldn’t take away from his influence. Diaz falls into the former category. At one time, Diaz was one of the top 10 pound-for-pound fighters in the world. He’s not in the combat sports legend discussion. So to keep a Jake Paul loss from bringing his resume down like the duo of UFC alumni that “The Problem Child” beat before him, a 38-year-old Diaz who hasn’t won back-to-back fights since 2016 has to overcome a fighter a dozen years his junior.
This fight is a must-win for Paul for a different reason at the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Paul’s boxing career is just starting, with every excuse thrown at him as to why he won’t succeed. The only thing to buck all the literal and figurative punches coming his way is to win. And he just lost to Fury, who isn’t a household name by any means outside of Love Island and being the younger half-brother of Tyson Fury. All of Paul’s out-of-the-ring antics can’t be used as a crutch if he’s winning. A second-straight loss this early into a career, where your only fight against a true boxer was a loss, could mean the end of Paul’s combat-sports career altogether. Why would anyone invest in him as a proper boxer with a loss to Diaz? Luckily, Diaz looks in it for the money, not the win. And it’s the style of opponent that can prop Paul back up before the rematch he’s wanted with Fury since the judges’ scorecards were announced for his first loss.
Logan Paul found his combat sport
Jake’s brother, Logan Paul, has found his niche in combat sports with WWE and has looked like a gifted performer, not just one collecting a paycheck and going back to Hollywood. Of course, professional wrestling has predetermined results and win-loss records under Vince McMahon’s thumb only matter if you’re Roman Reigns. The notion of predetermined elements of Paul’s fights isn’t exactly pristine, (why don’t you walk into that first-round knockout again Ben? Then walk out of the arena perfectly fine minutes later). Why would Paul book himself into a loss against Fury? That’d be beyond dumb, even if a redemption storyline was his idea. There’s no way he can lose to Diaz and still have any legitimacy as a fighter. And thankfully for Paul, this fight shouldn’t last more than two rounds without Diaz hitting the canvas.