Jake Paul has labelled his fight with Nate Diaz as the UFC star’s funeral on Twitter. The pair will take to the ring in Dallas in August, with the former opting to ditch the idea of a rematch with Tommy Fury.
Paul will take on Diaz, one of the most successful UFC fighters in recent history, at the American Airlines Centre in Dallas. The bout will take place on August 5, with the fight taking place at 185 pounds and over eight rounds.
The YouTuber had fired several shots at Diaz in the run-up to the announcement after he revealed that he would like to get in the ring with the UFC star, and he couldn’t resist the chance to take aim at his upcoming opponent once again when announcing the fight.
Paul tweeted: “August 5th commemorate the funeral for Nathaniel Diaz as we send him in casket back to Dana. Refreshments will be provided at the service. Black Tie Attire.”
Paul has not fought since he was handed his first-ever boxing loss by Fury in February, though he believes that the defeat on his record is the best possible thing that could have happened to him on the night.
He released a statement that read: “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.
“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.”
Diaz has not fought professionally since September 2022 when he beat Donald Ferguson at UFC 279, taking his career total to 21 wins in 36 bouts. However, despite his reputation, it remains to be seen how he takes to life in boxing.
Fury, on the other hand, has teased that he could be set to take on ex-One Direction singer Liam Payne. Both men uploaded a photo of a poster which read: “Announcement tomorrow”, with the location set as Old Trafford. Although there is some suggestions that the event being teased is Soccer Aid rather than a boxing match, though those are unconfirmed reports.