'I thank him for winning': Boxing reality check and 'priceless' change ...

It was the first loss of Jake Paul’s career, and in his first fight against a real boxer. The first time ‘The Problem Child’ had run into a different kind of problem inside the ring.

This wasn’t a fellow YouTuber, NBA player or even another MMA fighter. This was a full-time boxer and one who taught Paul a lesson in a split decision defeat.

It was a reality check that Paul needed, with the 26-year-old declaring he is now “feeling better than ever” ahead of Sunday’s [AEST] fight with UFC legend Nate Diaz in Dallas.

BOXING | SUN AUG 6: ‘The Problem Child’ Jake Paul and UFC icon Nate Diaz will finally meet in a highly anticipated grudge match. ORDER ON MAIN EVENT ON KAYO SPORTS>

Jake Paul looks on during his fight to Tommy Fury. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesTommy Fury took the win. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

“It’s interesting that a loss can give you more conviction on what it is that you’re supposed to be doing and what you’re here to do and can actually reset you on a proper path,” Paul told select media, including foxsports.com.au, in a Zoom call on Tuesday morning.

“And that’s exactly what it did for me and now I’m feeling better than ever, stronger than ever, in the best shape of my life, best team. I couldn’t be happier and that’s why I thank Tommy.

“I thank Tommy for winning, it put my life in the direction that it was supposed to be before and that is such a priceless thing.”

Paul’s “realistic ambition” when he first started forging his unconventional path towards a career in boxing was to become a world champion one day.

“And that hasn’t changed,” the YouTube sensation added.

“I’ve only gained more conviction around it and with how I’m progressing and the work I’m putting in and the experience I’m getting under my belt going up to 10 rounds now, slowly making my way deeper and deeper into the sport and getting more and more and more experience.

“I have all the tools, the punching power, the strength, the cardio, the speed. So really, it’s just about the thousands and thousands and thousands of repetitions that I need to become a world champion.

“But I’m sparring against them [world champions], working with them in the gym and that’s why I know I could do it.

“... In three years from now when I’m 29 in my athletic prime, I fully believe in my capability to be able to win a world championship.”

Jake Paul dreams of a world title. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP

That is not to say Paul is complacent though, or expecting that kind of upwards trajectory to materialise without making the necessary changes any fighter would after a loss.

With every lesson learned comes an opportunity for growth, and in the case of Paul that growth will come alongside a new team after splitting with several of his old coaches.

Now reunited with legendary retired boxer Shane Mosley, who was a three-weight-division world champion, Paul said he has gone to a “different place mentally” this training camp.

“I think the biggest thing was bringing in a new strength and conditioning coach that really had a knowledge of getting me fight-ready that none of my other coaches had previously and that made a world of difference,” Paul said.

“My coaches just pushed me way, way harder. Before in practices I would be going like 10 rounds, maybe 12, maybe 15.

“Now we go 20, 25 rounds and then jogging afterwards, so this camp has been a lot harder and I’ve had to go to a different place mentally to survive it but it’s made all the difference in terms of my cardio. Now I could feel like I could fight forever.”

BOXING | SUN AUG 6: ‘The Problem Child’ Jake Paul and UFC icon Nate Diaz will finally meet in a highly anticipated grudge match. ORDER ON MAIN EVENT ON KAYO SPORTS>

Jake Paul made changes to his team. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP

Paul won’t have to fight forever on Sunday but he may have to go longer than he has before against Diaz, with the pair to battle it out over 10 rounds at American Airlines Center.

Although Diaz, whose stamina and durability are two of his biggest weapons, isn’t looking to take the fight the distance anyway. At least, that’s not his preferred method of victory.

“I’d rather the fight be three rounds, so the quicker the better,” Diaz told media, including foxsports.com.au, on Tuesday.

“I’m not depending on the knockout, but whatever happens happens. I’m going in there to finish the fight as soon as possible.”

And according to UFC veteran Bobby Green, even if Paul looks the better of the two early it won’t mean much if the fight goes beyond the first round.

“I’ve been boxing with him, and I’m telling you this, the longer the rounds go, the harder it’s going to get,” Green said after his win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 291.

“Jake can start out hot, (but) if he lets it go anywhere past round one, he’s going to have a lot of trouble.”

But for all the bravado and unassailable confidence that most people have come to associate with Paul’s public persona, behind the curtains he is conscious of his own shortcomings.

And against a fighter like Diaz, Paul knows a lot of what Green said is the truth. Paul also knows what he is capable of, and that’s why he is predicting he will make history on Sunday.

“Bobby is right, Nate is tough,” said Paul.

“How much damage can he take? His cardio is insane, he’s going to keep on coming forward.

“I just think the difference between me and the other MMA fighters is simply the power and the sharp boxing technique.

“So when we get in there, he’s been able to take punches from certain guys, but I don’t believe he’s going to be able to take punches from me and that alone is going to be the biggest difference. I believe I punch harder and have proper punching technique that allows the punches to come off in a certain way.

“That’s the difference between boxing and MMA. MMA has arm punches, they’re not turning their hips with all their shots. That’s going to be the difference and that’s going to be the reason that I’m going to be the first person to ever knock out Nate Diaz.”

Ask Diaz about that prediction though and you won’t get a whole lot in return.

That has been a source of frustration for Paul ahead of Sunday, although it isn’t so much that he is irritated that Diaz isn’t pulling his weight in promoting the fight.

“It is just for my own pleasure. I like to fight people where s*** gets rowdy and it’s more entertaining for the fans,” Paul said.

“So for me, it’s not as fun if there’s not as much like s*** talking and funny moments leading up to the promotion because that’s why I do this. I do this for myself. I do this for my own joy and passion for this game, so it is disappointing for myself.”

Diaz though does things his own way. It’s why he jumped at the chance to fight Paul and — more importantly — leave the UFC to start carving his own path, the way he wants it.

Nate Diaz is now calling the shots.Source: Getty Images

“I remember my whole career,” Diaz said, “I was going like, ‘Why can’t I fight this guy? Why can’t I do this like that?’ I didn’t like being controlled on how they were doing things.”

“I thought I was better than the people that they were doing stuff with a long time ago [and thought] I need to get out, do my thing and have a little more control on where I’m at on the card and where I should be doing [fights].

“But all that came with fighting more than everyone else, I was a more active fighter than everybody the whole time and then I started taking time off. Now I’ve got a little bit of control... taking time and being like, ‘Nah’, instead of accepting fight after fight and doing everything like a slave fighter. I’d rather do s*** on my own call.”

And that is exactly what Diaz did.

“When I fought Conor and I didn’t fight for three years, it’s not because I was sitting there waiting. I wasn’t waiting for Conor, I was waiting for someone to do something cool,” the Stockton slugger said.

‘There was nothing cool... nobody was on the level of someone worth fighting... then Paul came onto the scene talking a bunch of s*** and I thought, there’s something cool to do.”

The fight was just as appealing for Paul.

“Nate has a massive name. He’s the massive pay-per-view draw of UFC times,” the 26-year-old said.

“And to me that’s exciting because I haven’t yet really fought a massive pay-per-view draw in the prime of their career when they’re still hot and active.

“So to me that’s super exciting and there is this beef that was there and this online banter back and forth that we’ve been trying to and wanting to fight for a long time.

“Then finally the stars aligned.”

JAKE PAUL’S BOXING CAREER TO DATE (Record 6-1)

Feb 2023: Split decision loss to Tommy Fury

Oct 2022: Unanimous decision win over former UFC champion Anderson Silva

Dec 2021: Knockout win over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley

Aug 2021: Split decision win over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley

Apr 2021: Technical knockout win over multiple-time MMA champion Ben Askren

Nov 2020: Knockout win over former NBA player Nate Robinson

Jan 2020: Technical knockout win over YouTuber AnEsonGib

HOW TO WATCH JAKE PAUL VS NATE DIAZ + WHAT TIME DOES IT START?

You can watch the highly-anticipated fight between Paul and Diaz LIVE on Main Event on Kayo Sports on Sunday, August 6. The first fight of the card is set to get underway at 10am (AEST) with Paul and Diaz making their ring walks at around 1pm. You can order the full fight card here!