Former UFC stars Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal have their next fights lined up.
But instead of stepping into the Octagon again, the pair are scheduled to face off in a boxing match in early June.
Masvidal and Diaz will fight in a 10-round boxing match on June 1 at the Kia Forum in Southern California, the fighters announced Wednesday. This will be Masvidal's first fight since he defeated Diaz by fourth-round TKO (doctor stoppage due to cut) at UFC 244 in New York in 2019. Fighters compete at 175 pounds.
Masvidal retired from mixed martial arts last April after suffering a four-fight losing streak, losing to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287. He finished with an overall record of 35-17 and has since promoted various fights across the sport.
Although he is still under contract with the UFC, the company has approved him to fight Diaz. This will be his second boxing match, following his victory over Joseph Benjamin in 2005.
Diaz has an overall record of 22-13 in the UFC, with his last win coming against Tony Ferguson in 2022. He has since left the UFC and is now a free agent. He made his boxing debut last fall, losing a unanimous decision to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in August.
“Nate is walking like a dead man,” Masvidal said in a statement. “I can't wait to prove that the last fight wasn't a fluke. He was saved by the referee. He's boxing now, which he says he's good at. He has no chance of beating me, and I'm not going to give up.'' “He's only got an inch left in the ring to breathe.'' If he thinks our MMA match is bad, then things will get worse.'' It's going to get even worse. I'm going to drown him. I want to get rid of the story that he and I are the same. “Or that the referee saved the day. All that talk is June 1st. Violence and hand-throwing are in both of our blood, but as I've proven before, I'm a much better athlete and I'm a meaner fighter. On June 1st, When I come, I will solve all the unanswered questions and live until the world sees me. ”
