Watch: Jake Paul trains with Jorge Masvidal, targets Nate Diaz next
Jake Paul is training with Jorge Masvidal ahead of his professional boxing match with Ben Askren.
It was recently reported by Triller, under whose banner the fight will take place, that Jake Paul will face Ben Askren on April 17. The venue and the undercard of the bout are yet to be announced.
Jake Paul is obviously highly confident about knocking out Ben Askren, who is a former Olympian and a UFC and Bellator fighter. To make his dream reality, the YouTuber-turned-boxer has been training closely with UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal.
Jorge Masvidal holds the record of the fastest UFC finish, ironically enough over Ben Askren. 'Gamebred' took a total of 5 seconds to knock out Askren at UFC 239. 'Funky' competed only once after the humiliating defeat, where he lost to Demian Maia and retired from the sport.
Jake Paul has promised that he will take even less time in their boxing match. He is training to KO Ben Askren in 4 seconds when they meet. In fact, Jake Paul has opened as the favorite in betting odds.
Jake Paul has eyes set on Nate Diaz next
Jorge Masvidal's last UFC outing saw him lose to welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. He was already holding the BMF belt, which he won in a fight against Nate Diaz at UFC 244 via doctor's stoppage TKO.
The controversial nature of the stoppage left many dissatisfied with the outcome of the fight, including Jorge Masvidal himself. In the post-fight interview in the octagon, Masvidal had said that he will run it back with Nate Diaz. However, Diaz has not competed ever since.
Now, it seems like Jake Paul has set his eyes on Nate Diaz next, after he goes through Ben Askren. However, whether Diaz will agree to the fight or not, if it is even booked in the first place, is questionable.
Dana White said in an interview with TheMacLife before UFC 257 that the UFC is planning for the return of Nate Diaz against an opponent that will make for an exciting contest. He also revealed that Diaz will make his return at 155 pounds.
After Conor McGregor's loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257, MMA fans and experts alike are predicting that we might see the McGregor vs. Diaz trilogy happen soon.
Nate Diaz also opened as the No. 1 favorite as Conor McGregor's next opponent, as per BetOnline.ag, followed by a rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov.