Former UFC fighters and old rivals Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz continued “The Baddest Tour” for their boxing match with an open to the public media event in New York City. The bout airs live on pay-per-view from The Kia Forum in Inglewood, California on Saturday, June 1. The contest is scheduled for 10 rounds at light heavyweight.
Masvidal won their first MMA fight in November 2019 in New York by TKO and took the “Baddest Motherf***er” belt. The cage-side physician called it a day prior to the start of the fourth round due to a cut over Diaz’s right eye.
39-year-old Jorge Masvidal (1-0) makes his second ring appearance as a pro boxer. The former two-time UFC welterweight title challenger of Miami, Florida is confident in his victory, and said it was all about his “speed and power”.
“I’m thankful that I’m blessed that I don’t have to compete for the money,” Jorge Masvidal said. “It’s more for legacy at this point than anything else. There was some small speculation that our first fight got stopped early, so cool, let’s find out.”
“I’m gonna go in there and do my job, get my hand raised and take his ass out. It’s nothing personal right here. I signed up for one thing, to be as brutal as I can.”
“I’m fast and explosive. We’re boxing, and I’ve got these hands that are explosive. He’s getting the whole buffet.”
“He called me a coward and quitter, which didn’t sit well with me. Tell me one time I’ve quit? I’ve never quit or tapped. Anyone else with 50 fights who never tapped?”
“Usually the guy who won the last fight gets to decide a lot of things in negotiations. But I don’t care at the end of the day, because I wanted this fight. I’m a fighter.”
“I’m a bigger dog. I have more heart than anyone in front of me. In boxing I have more hand speed, better head movement and I’m more explosive. It’s gonna come down to my speed and power.”
Nate Diaz: I’ll fight anyone in any combat sport
38-year-old Nate Diaz (0-1) also goes through the ropes for the second time, following his unsuccessful debut against Jake Paul last August. The former UFC lightweight title challenger of Stockton, California also said he was coming for victory.
“This is part one really because we’re boxing now,” Nate Diaz said”. “We’re working to go in there and whoop his a** in the boxing ring.”
“I knew I’d end up back here and that the time would come. I got right back to doing what I had to do after our first fight. I still feel like I’m the real BMF. I’m gonna continue on until the end of time.”
“I take every fight seriously. I had too long of a camp for Jake Paul, but this time we’re starting closer. Regardless of who it is, we’re taking every fight seriously.”
“I’m not going in there trying to get hit. My plan is to hit and not get hit. I’m coming to win. That’s what it’s all about.”
“I’ll fight anyone in any combat sport. We got a fight to fight and we have to figure this all out on June 1.”
The Diaz vs Masvidal four-city press event kicked off last Friday in Las Vegas. The next stop is a press conference in Miami, followed by a media event in Los Angeles.