Youtuber-turned-pro boxer, Jake Paul, maybe having the fight of his career this weakened when he takes on Nate Diaz. The 26-year-old boxer, who turned pro in 2020, may retire from the sport if he suffers a loss in the hands of Diaz on Saturday, August 5th, in their highly anticipated bout.
News of a possible retirement was revealed by Nakisa Bidarian, who, along with Paul, founded Most Valuable Promotions. According to Bidarian, Paul losing to Diaz would turn him into another upcoming prospect. This is as he suffered a defeat earlier this year to Tommy Fury. Two defeats in a row could really stifle Paul’s growth in the boxing world and limit his chances for a possible title fight.
In Bidarian’s words: “He may retire if he loses to Nate Diaz. His boxing career is on the line, in terms of being one of the top three or four guys in the entire sport globally. I think if he was to lose, he’d just go to being another prospect that’s coming up in the ring.”
As if the pressure of facing a former UFC fighter was not enough, Paul now has to contend with the fact that his entire boxing career lies on the outcome of Saturday’s fight and what would determine whether he continues to parade himself as a boxer is if he comes out of the ring victorious.
But none of this is new for Paul. Three of his previous opponents (which account for four of his 6 career fights) have been against mixed martial artists. He’s no stranger to facing mixed martial artists, so preparing for this fight will not be challenging physically. Still, there’s always the mental strain.
Suffering a defeat, especially your first, can do a lot to your confidence. It does not help that Diaz is a tougher opponent than Fury, given his experience and achievements. The feelings of self-doubt, plus what lies ahead if he loses, could cause Paul to lose some confidence before the match, leading to a second defeat.
Still, these are only speculations. Paul’s sterling record, with 6 wins from 7 fights, is enough to have some level of confidence. Since this is Diaz’s first pro boxing match, the odds are clearly in Paul’s favour. It is left for him to dazzle fans and detractors alike with his performance.
Leon Osamor
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