BILLERICAY, ESSEX: Eddie Hearn, also known as Edward John Hearn, is a renowned sports promoter and the chairman of Matchroom Sport and the Professional Darts Corporation. Recently, he shared a bold prediction for the forthcoming clash between Jake Paul and Nate Diaz, scheduled for August 5, 2023.
This fight is significant as it marks Paul's comeback following his initial defeat in the boxing ring, while Diaz, a former UFC welterweight, will be making his debut in the world of boxing. During a recent episode of 'The MMA Hour' with Ariel Helwani, a sports journalist, Hearn delved into the highly anticipated boxing event, providing insights and analysis. Keep reading to know more.
Will Nate Diaz be 'smoked' by Jake Paul in the ring?
In a recent statement, Hearn expressed his critique of Nate Diaz's technique, specifically highlighting a video where Diaz was seen hitting the pads. Hearn went on to imply that Paul would have a significant advantage over Diaz in their upcoming fight, suggesting a clear victory for Paul in the highly-anticipated clash. "I watched clips of Nate Diaz hit pads. I think I might have even told you. And I was like... You know that it's going to be a mismatch against Jake Paul, don't you?" Hearn added.
Helwani posed the question of whether Hearn believes Diaz would be "smoked" by Paul, to which Hearn responded with a concise statement: "Yes." Furthermore, Helwani brought up the recent alteration in the Paul-Diaz fight, switching it from an eight-round contest to a ten-round bout.
Hearn acknowledged the change in fight duration and expressed his belief that it would likely result in a stoppage victory for Paul within four rounds. However, he also considered the possibility that Diaz may have been employing deceptive tactics by feigning poor punching technique. Hearn commented, "It won't go four. I mean, listen, unless it's all a bit of a bluff by Nate." He further suggested a friendly bet, stating, "We can have a friendly bet on that fight... I'll give you 3-to-1 on Nate Diaz if you want."
'Doesn't look good'
After watching the practice video of Diaz on Twitter, one fan wrote, “Bets money on himself as the winner, and on the other side gets paid for hitting the ground..” Another fan commented, “Boxing doesn’t look to good”. Another fan wrote, “He looks like he's not in very good shape and that his throwing off his skills/footwork.No speed/pop to his strikes. Coordination is off. Needs to get after it and get his strength/speed/power conditioning+diet on point and he'll move much better and his strikes will improve”. Another user tweeted, “He about to get knocked out cold by a disney kid whos been boxing for 3 years”.