In 2019, Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal met in the UFC Octagon for the first fight for the ceremonial "BMF" title. On Saturday, the pair meet again, though this time in a boxing match at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
It's a strange fight, to be sure, with two men who made their bones as fan favorites in the cage deciding to meet in the boxing ring now that neither are under UFC contract. This is the second time both men have boxed professionally, with Masvidal getting a win in 2005 and Diaz suffering a 2023 decision loss to Jake Paul.
Diaz and Masvidal have seemed disinterested in promoting the fight during a multi-city media tour, with Diaz being especially resistant to talking up the fight. That lack of hype changed a bit when the two teams engaged in a brawl at a June 6 press conference after Diaz attempted to walk out early.
Masvidal's boxing coach Jorge Capetillo was attacked during the situation, which has left Masvidal steaming.
"Only thing I've ever brought to combat sports is violence and a little technique. That's how I get my hand raised," Masvidal said at the final press conference.
"I take every fight with the same amount of caution and respect. Whoever I'm fighting also has two hands. On a personal level, yeah I don't like the dude for what happened at the last press conference. On July 6 he's getting it. After that, training camp went from a boxing setting to a kill setting. That's all I want to do."
Masvidal thrashed Diaz in their UFC meeting, scoring a TKO via doctor's stoppage after the third round. Those results won't directly translate to boxing and its different ruleset but they could play into the mental games in the ring.
"I just feel like over time, I'm getting sharper. I'm always working and improving," Diaz said at the final press conference. "I'm going to do what I always do. I'm here for the fun and I'm here for the business. I'm here to get the job done."
Let's take a closer look at the rest of the fight card with the latest odds before getting to a prediction and pick on the main event.
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