CLEVELAND, OHIO: Jake Paul defeated Nate Diaz by a unanimous vote in a bout at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on August 5. MMA star Diaz, who was making his pro boxing debut, was the overwhelming favorite of the audience in a contest that was expected to be sold out. However, the crowd's enthusiasm had little bearing on the outcome of the 10-round clash.
The scores from the judges were 97-92, 98-91, and 98-91. Paul, who knocked Diaz out in the fifth round, claimed he was positive he had won the bout based on the scorecards of the judges and believed Diaz had only won one round. “Although he’s a warrior, you know? I had him hurt in the first round, he kept on coming, and no one’s taken that much damage,” Paul said.
‘He’s real tough’
Paul revealed himself to be not just younger but also stronger and a better fighter. “He’s real tough. That’s what he’s known for. But toughness in this sport doesn’t work,” Paul said of Diaz. With the win, Paul raised his record to 7-1 and overcame his lone loss, a split-decision defeat against Tommy Fury in February.
Paul has increased the number of MMA competitors he has defeated. Prior to this, he defeated Anderson Silva by unanimous decision, Tyron Woodley by decision and first-round knockout, and Ben Askren by first-round TKO. Now, Diaz is anticipated to make a comeback to the UFC, maybe for a trilogy battle with Conor McGregor.
Match summary
Jake Paul dominated Nate Diaz in a unanimous decision victory, with judges scoring the fight 97-92, 98-91, and 98-91 in Paul's favor. In the early rounds, Nate showed aggression, but the two fighters ended up in a clinch, with Jake landing effective body shots. Nate attempted to mount a comeback by throwing punches, but Jake remained composed and unfazed. As the rounds progressed, Jake unleashed powerful headshots, gaining a clear advantage.
In the final round, it appeared Nate was well aware that he needed a decisive victory. However, while addressing the crowd, Jake unexpectedly assaulted him. Nate tried to draw Jake in for a knockout punch but found himself cornered. Despite Nate's efforts, Jake's superior performance secured him a well-deserved win.
However, the referee forced them apart. Jake had a score of 98 while Nate had 91 when Nate raised his arms in the air.
Drake loses $250,000 bet
Popular rapper Drake lost a total of $250,000 after Nate Diaz was defeated by Jake Paul. Earlier, Drake shared a screenshot of his most recent bet, a massive $250,000 stake on Diaz to defeat Paul in the main event bout in Dallas.
“Jake is a dog, but I can never bet against a Diaz brother. That’s just how I was raised,” Drake wrote in a caption on his Instagram stories.
Drake made the bet only a few months after he placed a larger bet on Paul to defeat Tommy Fury in their February battle. That evening, Drake bet $400,000 on Paul, who ultimately lost to Fury in a split decision, marking his first loss as a pro.
