Jeff Mayweather opened up about his impressions of the recent fight between Jake Paul and Nate Diaz. Despite expecting Paul to win, he was surprised by the knock down.
“ Pretty entertaining fight, maybe not a showcase of pure boxing skill but it was kind of a fun fight.”
Nate Diaz’s approach to the fight, marked by an awkward stance and bravado, caught attention. Mayweather discussed the unusual tactics:
“Awkward guy to fight right? I mean he turned his back and walked away looking like he was getting ready to quit or something and then he’d turn around. Is it frustrating fighting a guy like that? I don’t know, I’ve never been in a ring with a guy that fights like that.”
Mayweather also reflected on Jake Paul’s growth as a boxer, admitting that he sees improvement.
“He’s getting better, but I think that he still needs to stick with fighting MMA guys. It was impressive, but it wasn’t because it was a guy that really wasn’t trying to fight.”
The possibility of Paul exploring MMA was brought up, with Mayweather expressing concern about the different challenges it would present.
“Going into MMA, I mean you’re striking, you’re elbowing, your kneeing – that could be different, it can be very painful for him.”
When asked about the direction Paul should take, Mayweather was clear in his opinion:
“Stick to boxing. There’s plenty of fights out there that he can get. He should stick to fighting with boxers on his level.”
The focus shifted to Paul’s motivations, whether they are monetary or if he is striving for a genuine boxing reputation.
“Isn’t it more about the money anyway? But you’re still trying to be accepted as a genuine real boxer, and you’re not going to ever be if you continue to fight MMA fighters.”
Mayweather entertained the idea of Paul facing legendary names, even if past their prime, such as Evander Holyfield.
“Someone of that caliber you think would be a fight that would be good for him because he gets a name on the resume.”
Concluding the conversation, Jeff Mayweather re-emphasized Paul’s progress and future in the sport:
“Stick to boxing if you want to convince people that you are actually a good boxer. I think he can stick to boxing.”
