Outside Source
For a brief moment, it appeared as if Jorge Masvidal and Jake Paul may be on a collision course for a boxing match. But that potential fight was never close to actually happening.
The beef between the two fighters started after Masvidal sided with Tyron Woodley as the former UFC champ prepared to face Paul in a boxing match of his own. Masvidal actually briefly worked with Paul prior to that booking to help Paul prepare for his fight against Ben Askren, which was an opponent he and Masvidal shared in common.
Masvidal and Paul exchanged plenty of harsh words through interviews and over social media, but apparently there was no chance a fight between them was ever in consideration.
“If I’m being honest with you, the conversations I’ve had with the UFC, they’ve never wanted to let me go do boxing,” Masvidal told Paul while appearing on his B.S. podcast. “They’ve shut down things of that nature.
“I don’t think you know how far away we really were from doing something. That’s why it doesn’t happen often when you’re under full contract, especially somebody like me. They’re very picky.”
The UFC has rarely worked with fighters to compete in any rival combat sports promotion outside of Conor McGregor getting the opportunity to face Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match back in 2017.
Former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou was shut down from pursuing any potential boxing fights as he attempted to negotiate a new UFC deal prior to hitting free agency and eventually signing with the PFL. Under his new contract, Ngannou is free to pursue boxing, with the PFL staying completely hands off outside of his MMA career.
Ideally, Masvidal would love the chance to test himself in boxing, but even after announcing his retirement in April, the UFC still has to give him permission to do anything else because he remains under contract with them.
“Definitely, I would box,” Masvidal said. “That’s something I wanted to do, especially as I started progressing more in my skill set. I have a pro boxing fight, it took place like 14 or 15 years ago. Boxing was like my first love.
“So I would definitely do a boxing match if the UFC would permit me. They would have to give me permission. They’d have to be like, ‘Yeah, go do your thing.’ If not, can’t do no boxing match.”
While his own boxing aspirations may stay on hold forever, Masvidal did offer his opinion on how former opponent Nate Diaz may do when he clashes with Paul in August.
Diaz fought out his UFC contract this past September and then fielded offers in free agency before ultimately reaching a deal for a boxing match with Paul that will be co-promoted between their two brands, Real Fight Inc. and Most Valuable Promotions.
Now he’ll earn a lucrative payday for the fight with Paul.
Masvidal has faith that Diaz will make the transition into boxing rather easily.
“Nate’s definitely going to have the experience over you,” Masvidal told Paul. “He’s got crazy endurance. I think the opening round is going to tell me a lot. He’s got great cardio, and I think, especially in boxing, he should make an easy transition.
“I would think out of all the categories you could have in martial arts, like wrestling being one of them, boxing, [etc.,] boxing is something that comes very natural to [Diaz]. I think he’s going to be a decent boxer.”
This article first appeared at MMA Fighting – All Posts
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