TLDR
- Nate Diaz bet $20,000 on Jake Paul to beat Anthony Joshua in their December 19 fight in Miami
- If Paul wins, Diaz will collect $142,000 from the wager
- Paul defeated Diaz by unanimous decision in their August 2023 boxing match
- Paul called Diaz “dumb as f***” after learning about the endorsement at a press conference
- The fight was originally supposed to be Paul vs Gervonta Davis before a lawsuit caused the cancellation
Former UFC fighter Nate Diaz has wagered $20,000 on Jake Paul to defeat Anthony Joshua in their upcoming boxing match. The bout is scheduled for December 19 in Miami, Florida.
Diaz posted a betting slip on social media showing the substantial wager. If his prediction proves correct, he will collect $142,000 in winnings.
The fight pits Paul against his most experienced opponent to date. Joshua is a two-time unified world heavyweight champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist.
Paul enters the fight as a sizable underdog. He holds a professional boxing record of 12-1 with his only loss coming to Tommy Fury in February 2023.
History Between Paul and Diaz
Paul and Diaz fought each other in August 2023. Paul won that bout by unanimous decision over 10 rounds.
During the fight, Paul knocked Diaz down in the fifth round. The match did not settle the differences between the two fighters.
Diaz was considered as a potential replacement opponent for Paul. This came after Paul’s scheduled fight with Gervonta Davis fell through.
The Davis fight was originally set for November 14 as an exhibition. A lawsuit alleging domestic violence against Davis led to the cancellation.
Paul’s team ultimately chose to pursue the fight with Joshua instead. The decision came after considering several options for replacement opponents.
Paul’s Response to the Bet
Joshua mentioned Diaz’s support for Paul at the first press conference on Friday. Paul responded negatively to the endorsement.
“That’s not really a good endorsement since he’s dumb as f***,” Paul said. The 28-year-old boxer did not welcome Diaz’s public backing.
Diaz added commentary to his betting post on social media. He stated he would take both Paul and Joshua out in the same night if they agreed to an MMA fight.
Paul’s Boxing Career
Paul has 13 professional fights to his name. Most of his opponents have been past their prime or outside their main discipline.
His most recent fight was against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Paul won that bout on points against the former WBC Middleweight World Champion.
Chavez Jr. had not fought regularly in years before facing Paul. The match was typical of Paul’s career pattern of selecting favorable matchups.
Paul defeated heavyweight legend Mike Tyson in his previous bout. He has also fought several MMA legends including Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley.
The fight with Joshua represents a departure from this pattern. Joshua is still an active top-level boxer with recent championship experience.
The bout is scheduled for eight rounds of three minutes each. Both fighters will earn substantial purses for the December 19 match in Miami.
