Jake Paul is set to take on UFC legend Nate Diaz in a boxing match on Saturday at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The “Problem Child” looking to get back to winning ways after his loss to Tyson Fury’s younger brother, Tommy, earlier this year.
The YouTube star-turned-boxer, 26, has a professional record of 6-1, with four of those wins coming via knockout, and has made changes to his team ahead of the fight with the 38-year-old Diaz. Paul has added trainers Theo Chambers and “Sugar” Shane Mosley, the International Boxing Hall of Fame member, to work with his longtime coach J’Leon Love. The former UFC star isn’t the first to try and take down Paul, who has earned handsome sums of money during his short professional boxing career.
Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley twice, and Anderson Silva all tried, and failed, to stop Paul, whose net worth stands at a reported £47million. The exact purses for Paul and Diaz are unknown, but Sports Payouts reported that Paul could earn up to £1.57m, while Diaz could earn a guaranteed purse of £390,000. That total would see Paul earn less in guaranteed money for fighting Diaz than he did for taking on Fury in Saudi Arabia, which stood at £3m.
Saturday’s purse money is on a similar level to what he earned to take on Woodley, and Silva (£1.7m). It could also be his last boxing payday, with his business partner and advisor Nakisa Bidarian claiming on ESPN that Paul’s boxing career is on the line.
“He may retire if he loses to Nate Diaz,” Nakisa said. “His boxing career is on the line, in terms of being one of the top three or four guys in the entire sport globally. I think if he was to lose, he’d just go to being another prospect that’s coming up in the ring.”
Paul has expressed his excitement to step inside the squared circle with the Stockton Brawler. “Nate has a massive name, he’s a massive pay-per-view draw of the UFC times and to me that’s exciting,” he said.
“I haven’t yet fought a massive pay-per-view draw in the prime of their career while they’re still hot and active. So, to me, that’s super exciting and there was that beef that was there and this online banter that was there back and forth that we’ve been trying to and wanting to fight for a long time. Then finally the stars aligned.”
Ringwalks for Saturday’s main event are expected to take place at 2 am GMT. That will follow from the main card, which gets underway at 5 am.
Jake Paul’s biggest fight purses
- Loss vs. Tommy Fury on February 26 – £2.3m (claims he made £22m after PPV share)
- Win vs. Anderson Silva on October 29, 2022 – £1.5m
- Win vs. Tyron Woodley on December,18, 2022 – £1.5m
- Win vs. Tyron Woodley on August 29, 2022 – £1.5m
- Win vs. Nate Robinson on November 28, 2020 – £1.5m
- Win vs. Ben Askren on April 17, 2021 – £541,000
- Win vs. Ali Eson Gib on January 30, 2020 – Unconfirmed
