There’s a lot of money to be made in boxing these days, and it’s led to a movement that’s seen celebrities, social media influencers, and even mixed martial artists step into the ring for a scrap and a big payday.

One example of those in the latter camp is former UFC fighter Nate Diaz. His first taste of a professional boxing match came against none other than Jake Paul in August 2023. Although many expected Diaz’s experience may be too much for the YouTube star turned professional boxer, the judges saw things differently and awarded Paul a unanimous decision victory.

Diaz’s next boxing match caught the eye of mixed martial arts fans, with him taking on fellow former UFC star, Jorge Masvidal. This time, Diaz went on to grab a majority decision victory, but it’s fair to say that many were left feeling unimpressed by the event.

Nevertheless, former boxing champion Shawn Porter has since claimed that Diaz trained hard for the event and took Masvidal more seriously than he did with Paul. Porter suggested Diaz was “the same fighter, but really ready to fight”. Whether this is true is unknown, but it would hardly be surprising considering the two already have a history, having fought at UFC 244 in November 2019. On that occasion, it was Masvidal who got the better of Diaz for the symbolic “BMF” title due to a TKO via doctor stoppage in the third round. 

Whether Diaz continues to milk this boxing cash cow remains to be seen. However, former UFC star Darren Till has also mentioned that he’d be keen to take him on in the ring soon.