Former UFC stars Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal are set for their second showdown. The old rivals meet in the boxing match live on pay-per-view from The Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA on Saturday, June 1. The contest is scheduled for 10 rounds at light heavyweight.
Diaz and Masvidal first met in November 2019 in New York. Battling it out in the main event of UFC 244, the pair contested for the first symbolic “baddest motherf***er” belt. The scheduled for five rounds clash ended prior to the final horn. Masvidal walked away with the win. The cageside physician deemed Diaz unable to continue prior to the start of the fourth round due to a cut over his right eye.
In his previous outing last August, Nate Diaz (21-13 MMA, 0-1 boxing) faced Jake Paul inside the squared circle. The 38-year-old Stockton native didn’t succeed in his pro boxing debut dropping a unanimous decision.
In his final MMA fight last April at UFC 287, Masvidal (35-15 MMA, 1-0 boxing) suffered the defeat by unanimous decision against Gilbert Burns. Miami’s 39-year-old made his pro boxing debut back in June 2005, when he took a majority decision against Joseph Benjamin.
“Nate’s a dead man walking,” Masvidal said. “I can’t wait to prove that last time was no fluke. He got saved by the referee. Now we are boxing, which he says is his forte, but he’s got no shot at beating me. I’m not going to give him an inch in that ring to even breathe.”
“If he thought our MMA match was bad, this is going to be much worse. I’m going to drown him. I want to put away any talk that him and I are the same, or that the referee saved the day. All of that talk ends June 1. Violence and throwing hands are in both of our bloods but as I proved before, I’m a far superior athlete and I’m a meaner fighter. When June 1 comes I’ll put all unanswered questions to rest, live for the world to see.”
The bouts featured on Diaz vs Masvidal undercard are expected to be announced shortly.