Dustin Poirier doubts Nate Diaz can win his boxing bout against Jake Paul

Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz have a history in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), having almost fought multiple times over the years. For various reasons, they never ended up stepping into the cage together. That doesn’t mean Poirier has any ill will directed toward the Diaz brother, who recently left UFC to set up a boxing match with Jake Paul in August.

“Look, I want everybody to be paid and to succeed,” Poirier said on The MMA Hour when asked about the bout. “Whether it’s in this organization or that, I don’t care, we’re putting it all on the line out there. So, I hope he got whatever he was looking for. I hope it all works out and I hope he gets paid.”

Diaz has been talking about a return to UFC after he tests the waters in boxing, but “The Diamond” isn’t holding his breath.

“I always wanted to fight him,” he said simply when asked if he thought they’d eventually scrap. “Never say never, but it looks like ... it’s gone.”

Poirier has his own things going on: the 34-year-old is set to fight Justin Gaethje for the BMF belt at UFC 291 on July 29, 2023. While it’s a bit of a corny gimmick to put a belt on the line at UFC’s Salt Lake City event, it does mean both men get pay-per-view (PPV) points, turning their regular paydays into champion-level money.

Diaz is set to get paid when he fights Jake Paul on Aug. 5, 2023. Word is there’s a 50/50 split on the event with Paul’s MVP Promotions teaming with Diaz’s Real Fight Inc. With all the interest in the bout, Diaz is looking at making more in one night than he did across his entire UFC career (Conor McGregor fights included).

He’s in for a fight, though, as Paul is 30 pounds heavier and 12 years younger. As much as Poirier clearly respects Diaz, he admitted he’s leaning toward Paul winning.

And he’s not alone.

“I’ll definitely watch for sure,” he said. “Jake’s younger, bigger, faster. It’s not an easy fight just because Nate’s a grizzled veteran with the right experience and Jake’s a new guy who’s on YouTube. He’s got the money and the amenities to surround himself with the best people and dedicate himself to fighting. He’s younger and more explosive and I think Diaz’s boxing is good for MMA, [but] it’s a completely different thing. It’s a completely different thing.”

Who knows, you might even see “The Diamond” in the stands with the flashy BMF belt thrown over his shoulder.

“I kind of want to go to the event,” he concluded. “It’s in Dallas, I’m a six-hour drive from Dallas where I live in Louisiana.”

LIVE! Watch ‘Paul Vs. Diaz’ On DAZN PPV

READY FOR WAR! International superstar and serial risk-taker, Jake “The Problem Child” Paul, is once again up against a very big (and very different) challenge in regard to his budding combat sports career when he takes on former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) superstar (and Conor McGregor slayer), Nate Diaz, inside American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Sat., Aug. 5, 2023, streaming live on DAZN pay-per-view (PPV). “Paul vs. Diaz” which will also feature multiple-time women’s boxing champion, Amanda Serrano, battling former WBO queenpin, Heather Hardy, for the undisputed Featherweight title in DAZN’s PPV co-main event. Special start time is slated for 8 p.m. ET, with a PPV price tag of $59.99.

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