Nate Diaz and Jorge MasvidalRonald Martinez/Getty Pictures
Former UFC rivals Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal will rekindle their rivalry in a boxing ring. The 2 former MMA stars will take a look at their boxing abilities in opposition to each other on a pay-per-view card Saturday evening from the Honda Heart in Anaheim, California.
Diaz and Masvidal had been two of the largest attracts for the UFC throughout their time with the group. Now, they are going to see if that drawing energy can switch over to boxing as they anchors a pay-per-view that additionally features a tremendous middleweight bout between Daniel Jacobs and Shane Mosley Jr.
Diaz and Masvidal’s paths collided after they met at UFC 244. Masvidal beat Diaz with a third-round physician stoppage TKO to win the promotional “BMF” belt in 2019.
Here is a have a look at all the cardboard info you may have to catch the combat in addition to a preview and prediction.
When: Saturday, July 6 at 9 p.m. ET
The place: Honda Heart, Anaheim, California
Odds: Masvidal -275 (wager $275 to win $100); Diaz +210 (wager $100 to win $210)
Whereas each males had been identified for his or her putting of their MMA heydays, there is not a lot boxing expertise between the 2 of them.
Each have only one skilled boxing match on their ledger. Masvidal earned a four-round majority determination win over Joseph Benjamin again in 2005. Diaz misplaced his solely official bout with a 10-round unanimous determination loss to Jake Paul in 2023.
There’s clearly nothing to glean from Masvidal’s one combat. It was almost 20 years in the past and Masvidal has come a great distance as a combined martial artist in that point. It might be secure to imagine that he is a a lot better boxer at this level.
In any case, his boxing debut wasn’t that far faraway from his days as a road fighter.
We’re additionally effectively previous his prime at this level. Masvidal walked away from the UFC on the heels of a four-fight dropping streak, together with a unanimous determination loss to Gilbert Burns in April 2023.
Diaz, alternatively, was at the very least 2-3 over his ultimate 5 fights with the UFC. He beat Tony Ferguson with a fourth-round submission victory earlier than hitting free company and placing on the boxing gloves with Jake Paul.
He did not look all that nice in that bout. Paul dropped him in Spherical 5 en path to a convincing determination loss.
There’s at all times some guesswork in simply how an MMA fighter’s putting sport will translate within the ring. The dynamics of a boxing combat and the shortcoming to throw some other strikes modifications the sport sufficient.
Nevertheless, we have seen Diaz field not too long ago. He was praised for his unorthodox boxing model as an MMA fighter, however he was pretty sloppy within the loss to Paul.
We do additionally know that he is an extremely powerful fighter to truly knockdown and even knockout.
Assuming Masvidal can use his dimension and power to bully Diaz a bit and defend himself in opposition to Diaz’s energy punches, he ought to be capable to win it on the playing cards.
Prediction: Masvidal through determination