MMA/UFC

Logan Paul says fight with Nate Diaz is on the table, but ‘I think he’s running’

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Jake Paul v Hasim Rahman Jr - Press Conference
Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Logan Paul says a boxing match with Nate Diaz seemed to be on the goal line, but now things may have changed.

Ahead of his WrestleMania 39 match with Seth Rollins this weekend, Paul revealed in an interview that a big money fight is on the table with the former UFC fighter, and according to Paul, Diaz’s side has backed off a bit. After teasing several names, Paul ended up naming the Stockton native as his potential foe.

“I think he’s running. This guy, I think he’s ducking,” Paul told BT Sport. “We have the sweetest deal for him and he knows the type of numbers I bring in. I’m not a quarter of a million [pay-per-view buys] type of fighter, you’re going to get 750,000 [to a] million buys, and I’m an 0-1 YouTuber. Seems like an easy fight on paper.

“It’s Nate Diaz.”

Paul has a lot going on these days and has been aiming to return to the boxing ring for some time after going to a draw in an exhibition bout with Floyd Mayweather over two years ago in February 2021.

The 27-year-old says the door isn’t completely closed because his side has upped the ante in terms of pay, but isn’t sure why the Diaz camp hasn’t put pen to paper yet.

“I don’t even care anymore,” Paul said. “I thought I had something locked in, but apparently he said the fight was off. Like, why? Why? So he could fight someone else? For what purpose? To get less buys, and maybe an easier fight? I don’t get it.

“As far as I know, it’s not dead because we had to f****** offer him more money. It’s like we’re baiting this guy into fighting me. It’s hard for me to get a fight because either you’re not worth my time and energy, or you’re not going to sell pay-per-views. I’ll do it, but I need a dance partner. And I don’t need a tune-up fight, give me the real dogs. Nate Diaz is a dog. I was looking forward to that fight, then I got a call the other day and they said they didn’t want to do it. It was almost done. I don’t know.”

Despite some back-and-forth on social media in the past, Paul admits he has a lot of respect for Diaz as a competitor, and that by the time they made it to the squared circle, fans would be hankering to see how the potential fight would play out.

“Let’s recount the facts: You have an extremely healthy deal on the table with the person that, by far, will sell you the most pay-per-views of any dance partner that you decide to go with, and I’m an 0-1 YouTuber,” Paul explained. “Why would you back out of that?

“I think he’s great, I think it would be a great fight. People would want to see that fight. He’s tough as hell, obviously an MMA legend, can move the needle. I’m just hyper ambitious, a little delusional, and can kind of box.”

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