The Boxing Truth®: Nate Diaz

Showing posts with label Nate Diaz. Show all posts

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Paul-August Preview

The career of aspiring Cruiserweight boxer and social media celebrity Jake Paul is set for one more chapter to close out 2023 as he will return to the ring on Friday, December 15th at the Caribe Royale Resort and Casino in Orlando, FL. Paul’s return to action, which will headline a card promoted by his own Most Valuable Promotions promotional company and be broadcast worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN will be his ninth fight as a professional boxer, but one might argue, could represent a legitimate step forward in that career. Paul’s previous outings in the Boxing ring have come against either fellow influencers/celebrities, one former NBA All-Star, retired MMA fighters with little or no Boxing experience, and one boxer in Tommy Fury, who was more known as the brother of current WBC Heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, and who was also known as a reality TV star in the United Kingdom.

Despite that, Fury, who was unbeaten as a Cruiserweight boxer was able to hand Paul his first defeat as a pro boxer in defeating him via eight round split decision when they met in February of this year in Saudi Arabia. In his last fight in August of this year, Paul returned to what had been for better or worse, a successful formula when he faced MMA star Nate Diaz and scored a lopsided ten round unanimous decision over him in a fight where he was able to knock Diaz down and show evolving Boxing skills in the process. Beyond restoring his confidence after suffering the setback against Fury, this observer stated in his post-fight coverage of Paul’s victory over Diaz that there would come a point where those that have entered Boxing from a different background whether they be from YouTube or other forms of being an influencer, will have to realize that the standards of the sport will need to be respected. Meaning, that if those who have entered the sport from outside realms are truly serious about wanting to pursue a legitimate Boxing career inside the ring and challenging for world championships, as Paul has stated several times is one of his goals, they would need to fight those with a Boxing background and get the experience needed to get into a position to challenge for a world championship, which is no different than any other boxer who turns professional after competing in the amateurs and those who have turned professional with no previous amateur experience.

Paul’s opponent on December 15th will come in the form of professional boxer Andre August. While this is a departure from Paul’s previous opponents in that August is not particularly known, even in Boxing circles up to this point, he is a fighter based out of Houston, TX and sports a record of 10-1,1, with 5 Knockouts in twelve professional fights. While August has not fought a notable opponent in those twelve bouts, he has won a Texas State championship in the Light-Heavyweight division in his young career, which began in May of 2013. Although a state championship in professional Boxing may not be seen as significant to some given the numerous regional and world championships and sanctioning organizations, which populate the sport, in actuality fighters that initially start out in professional Boxing do occasionally fight for a state title as they look to progress in their careers. In terms of what August brings to the table, that is the unknown that surrounds this fight as there is not much footage that could be found, by yours truly, who is a noted historian and one who has spent countless hours studying fight films for virtually my entire life.

Despite the appearance of a possible red flag in that someone as seasoned as this observer could not find any footage of August prior composing this column, what I can say is that he has won his last five bouts, with one of those wins coming by knockout. August’s lone defeat came in September 2018 when he was stopped by a fighter named Eric Abraham in two rounds in Houston, TX. Even though there is not much to go on regarding Andre August going in, one possible advantage he might have is simply the fact that he has taken a more conventional route in his Boxing career, whereas Paul’s due to both his celebrity as well as the unconventional route he has taken, has been featured prominently in Boxing’s spotlight, though there might be some who feel that could be both a good and bad thing for the sport depending on one’s perspective. The advantage for him could be that some might view his resume as one that is somewhat under the radar and there is at least a possibility that Paul may not know much about the fighter he is facing, but August does have the opportunity to study every one of Paul’s previous bouts, which could at least in theory give him an edge going into the fight.

While there is simply not much to go on in terms of analyzing this bout, the reality is these are the types of fights any fighter needs to compete in as they look to progress from prospect, to contender, to potential world title challenger down the line. Although this is only one fight, it would seem that Jake Paul would appear to be showing that he is indeed serious and no matter what might happen in this fight, it will be interesting to see if he continues on this path, because after all, there is only so much one can truly learn by facing several fighters with little or no Boxing experience and those who while having combat sports experience in other disciplines, most notably in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), were towards the end of their competitive careers when Paul fought them. Even though those fights did draw significant attention and may be seen as a young kid getting his feet wet in a sport, it was an approach that was flawed, which was to a degree exposed when he fought someone with more than sporadic Boxing experience. At least this fight appears to be an initial step forward.

What Andre August brings to the table in this fight and how Jake Paul will be able to deal with that is something that remains to be seen.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Paul vs. August takes place on Friday, December 15th at the Caribe Royale Resort and Casino in Orlando, FL. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT with preliminary bouts, which will be followed by the main card that will begin at 7:30PM ET/4:30PM PT.

(*U.S. Times Only*)

(*Card and Start times Subject to Change.*)

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

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Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Paul-Diaz Thoughts

The question this observer asked prior to social media celebrity turned aspiring boxer Jake Paul's fight against MMA veteran Nate Diaz was whether it was more of an event rather than a fight. A question rooted in curiosity in that Paul, who was coning off of his first loss as a boxer against Tommy Fury earlier this year, a fighter with a Boxing background, was returning to what had been a successful formula in facing someone with combat sports experience, but someone who had never boxed professionally. For better or worse, it has been a formula that has shown Paul to be a successful promoter in routinely drawing massive crowds whenever he fights.

This occasion would be no different as a massive crowd turned out to see Paul box Diaz at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. What was particularly impressive about that accomplishment was that the arena was filled almost from the first bout of the evening, several hours before Paul and Diaz entered the ring. This differs from many normal Boxing events in that the crowd generally builds over time where the venue is at or close to capacity by the time the main event enters the ring. In that aspect even though many in the sport, including yours truly have been lukewarm and critical of the influx of social media influencers that have entered the sport, if one is objective, you should tip your hat to that as the ability to fill an arena for most, if not all of an event, which includes the undercard as well as the main event is not an easy thing to pull off.

As for the fight itself, I was not expecting much as it seemed to be a bout if nothing else, designed to allow Paul to get his confidence back after the experience of being out boxed by someone with a Boxing background in his previous fight. What we saw was Paul showcasing his continued development against a fighter in Diaz with what could best be described as an awkward Boxing style that did not see him throw many punches unless he were in close striking range to Paul as well as awkward movements throughout the scheduled ten round Cruiserweight bout.

One thing that stood out about Diaz' approach was he did let his hands go while in close and to his credit, did manage to pressure Paul and land effectively in spots as the fight progressed. Like many seasoned Mixed Martial Arts fighters who try their hand in the sport of Boxing, Diaz did not seem to turn many of his punches in. In that, many of the punches he landed were not turned in where the knuckle portion of the glove could land solidly. This gave an appearance as though many of his punches looked more like slaps simply because he could not get the leverage on the punches he was able to land, with the exception of when he was able to catch Paul with uppercuts on the inside.

In contrast, Paul displayed a calm tempo throughout this fight in using lateral movement, angles, and timing to throw and land short combinations many of which appeared to stun Diaz. The one thing that this observer pointed to as a potential red flag going into this fight, despite not being able to offer much analysis due to the obvious differences between the sports of Boxing and MMA and Diaz' lack of Boxing experience, was that he had shown decent hand speed and punching power in several of his MMA fights, but had also shown a tendency to be caught and knocked down by right hands.

Paul meanwhile had shown in almost all of his previous fights in the Boxing ring that his primary weapon was his right hand. A weapon that had ended several of his fights. In an example of his continued development as a fighter, Paul would drop Diaz hard in the fifth round of this fight, but it would be a short counter left hook to the temple that would drop Diaz. To Diaz credit, despite being hurt and for a time struggling to get up, he was able to beat the count, and showed the ability to recover.

As the fight progressed, Diaz did step up his pressure and it seemed to create a competitive difference as compared to the first half of the fight. Whether it was because of his inexperience as a boxer or a strategic choice, Diaz' limited offense early in this fight proved to work against him as Paul was able to box his way to a significant lead and that in addition to the knockdown against him in the fifth round, ultimately led to Paul winning a convincing ten round unanimous decision, despite the rally that Diaz was able to build in rounds six thru ten.

While this victory for Jake Paul will not do much in terms of moving him towards being considered a contender, he did succeed in getting a confidence boost and to be fair, he is continuing to develop his skills as a fighter. Although influencers like Paul will continue to draw attention regardless of who they fight and continue to draw interest in the form of ticket sales and viewership, these type of "Curiosity Fights" as I call them, which in reality is one of the aspects of the sport of MMA that made it appealing in its early days in that the concept was largely based on fighters from different backgrounds/disciplines facing each other, when it comes to Boxing there is only so much one can learn in terms of developing one's skills when one chooses to box against opposition that do not have a background in the sport.

There will come a point where those that have entered Boxing from a different background whether they be from YouTube or other forms of being an influencer, will have to realize that the standards of the sport will need to be respected. This means if you are an influencer that truly wants to box and fight for world titles as Paul has said is one of his goals, you need to fight those with a Boxing background and get the experience needed to get into a position to fight for a world title, which is no different than any other boxer who turns professional after competing as an amateur or those who have no amateur background and go directly into the professional side of the sport.

Getting the opportunity to fight for a world championship is not something that can be achieved by facing those who may have combat sports experience, but do not have Boxing experience or by facing other influencers or YouTubers. At some point, the structure of the sport needs to be respected. For now, at least one influencer Jake Paul is showing improvement both in his skillet as well as showing he could go ten rounds for the first time as a boxer, whether he will silence his critics by facing boxers exclusively that will only continue to help him in his development remains to be seen. The jury however, is still out as to whether or not the influencer influx in the sport of Boxing is something that will serve to the sport's benefit in the long run and should be taken seriously, or if the "Influencer Boxing" concept is merely a new term for "Celebrity Boxing" and as such should be viewed as being for entertainment purposes only and not as a legitimate part of the sport of Boxing.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Thursday, August 3, 2023

Paul-Diaz: More Event Than Fight?

In February of this year, social media influencer turned boxer Jake Paul traveled to Saudi Arabia where the third time proved to be the charm in that Paul's on again, off again scheduled bout with undefeated Cruiserweight boxer Tommy Fury finally took place. Fury’s identification as s boxer is significant in that despite boasting an unbeaten record of 6-0, with 4 Knockouts going into the fight, Paul had built that record off facing folks who did not have a Boxing background or had very little Boxing training prior to those fights. In what was a close, but nondescript fight that did not have much in the way of highlights, Fury emerged victorious by scoring an eight round split decision over Paul and thus handed him his first loss as a professional.

While this observer has been fair, but also critical of the craze that has emerged in the sport of Boxing in recent years of those with the label of “Influencer” entering the sport as I feel it does draw interest from potential demographics that otherwise would likely have little to no interest in the sport, but who’s involvement in it still to be determined as to whether or not it is truly to Boxing’s benefit or if the “Influencer” craze is simply a revamped version of “Celebrity Boxing” under a different label, Jake Paul has shown himself to be a good promoter, who in fairness is trying to bring attention to several issues within the sport that yours truly has written about regularly over the many years that I have covered Boxing and by extension combat sports including fighter pay, healthcare, and his support of Women’s Boxing in assisting in its long overdue growth is something that cannot be ignored. Despite losing to Tommy Fury, Paul did hold his own in what could be called his first legitimate fight as a boxer.

Although Paul had boasted about fighting some of the top fighters in the sport and challenging for world titles, the takeaway from his loss to Fury was that although such boasts do serve a purpose in generating publicity, you can only go so far by facing people in a sport where they do not have a background in it. While Paul deserves credit for holding his own against Fury, his next fight will attempt to draw upon what had worked previously for him as he will face MMA veteran Nate Diaz in a scheduled ten round Cruiserweight bout at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. A fight that will headline a DAZN Pay-Per-View card. Much like most of Paul's previous opponents, Diaz will be making his professional Boxing debut after spending much of his career in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) where he won the promotion’s Ultimate Fighter reality competition in its fifth season.

Frankly, the story going into this fight is what Diaz, who is the third MMA fighter that Paul will be fighting in a Boxing ring, will bring to the table. Although Boxing is a martial art, a discipline, which is a part of the sport of MMA, there is only so much analysis one can provide because the fact is that Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts are two different sports and what you might see work well in terms of striking with hands in a fight fought under MMA rules in an MMA format might not work in a Boxing ring with Boxing gloves on, or at the very least, may not work as well because in MMA, fighters wear gloves that have only one ounce of padding and the gloves also allow the fighter’s hands to be open to engage in grappling. It is also worth noting that fighters in MMA also over the last twenty-five or so years as the sport has gotten more organized since its inception in promotions adopting a universal standard of rules, also fight barefoot, which depending on the situation can have a difference in a fighter’s ability to plant their feet and throw punches with both power and leverage. Diaz has shown decent hand speed and punching power in fights fought under MMA rules so, whether those skills will transition to the Boxing ring is something that remains to be seen.

One thing that could be a red flag that some might point to is there have been times throughout his MMA career where Diaz has been susceptible to being caught and knocked down by right hands. The questions regarding the credibility and legitimacy of Jake Paul's Boxing career aside, there is one primary weapon he has used in most of his fights that have ended many of them, his right hand. It will be interesting to see if Paul will look to land what has proven to be his power punch in previous fights this time around.

Although Paul is going back to what is familiar for him in facing a notable name from a different sport under conditions that do not favor that opponent, it has nevertheless succeeded in generating buzz. This is also perhaps a fight designed to restore his confidence after suffering his first loss. If Paul is looking to this fight to silence the critics questioning his validity as a boxer, this observer believes that a victory over Nate Diaz will likely not accomplish that. A victory, however, would likely restore his confidence. There will however, come a point where the realization that in order to fight the best fighters in the sport of Boxing and challenge for world championships, one needs to gain experience against fighters with a Boxing background and beat them to get that opportunity will come into the equation. One simply cannot gain such experience facing folks with little to no background in a sport where the fight will be occurring. While Paul may not get the experience he needs to continue developing if he indeed is serious about hoping to compete at or near the top level of the sport in this fight, he has succeeded in creating another event, which will draw interest from a wide range of demographics. It would be nice, however, if a competitive fight that some might not expect broke out as well.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Paul vs. Diaz takes place on Saturday, August 5th at the American Airlines Center in Dallas TX. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen on a pay-per-view basis globally on DAZN Pay-Per-View with preliminary bouts beginning at 6PM ET/3PM PT with the pay-per-view portion beginning at 8PM ET/5PM PT for $59.99. For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, Availability around the world, local start times in your area, to subscribe and order this pay-per-view card please visit: www.DAZN.com.

(* U.S. Start times and pricing only. *) (*Check DAZN.com for time and pricing in your region of the world. *)

(*Card and Start times Subject to Change. *)

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Friday, July 7, 2023

MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS’ SHADASIA GREEN TO FACE OLIVIA CURRY ON THE JAKE PAUL VS. NATE DIAZ PAY-PER-VIEW ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 5TH

Press Release: By DAZN- DALLAS - July 7, 2023 – On Thursday, July 6, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Real Fight Inc. (RFI) announced that two super middleweight powerhouses, Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator Green” (12-0, 11 KOs) and Olivia Curry (7-1, 2 KOs) will be joining the Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz pay-per-view card live on August 5th. The 10-round matchup will be contested at 168 Ibs at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. Green, the universally recognized number one contender, comes to the ring off her latest dominating victory, a 6th round TKO, over former unified world champion, Elin Cederroos, back in February. Curry, who boasts a decisive five-bout winning streak, will put her power and skill to the test as she steps in against the powerful Green.

Credit: DAZN

Rounding out the card will be Real Fight, Inc.’s Alan Sanchez (22-5-1, 10 KOs) vs. Angel Beltran Villa (17-1, 10 KOs) as they go head-to-head in an 8-round welterweight bout. Sanchez is the former WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Champion and is coming off consecutive victories that include wins over Saul Bustos (15-0-1) and Jose Miguel Borrego (18-2).

The Paul vs. Diaz pay-per-view is presented by Celsius Essential Energy drinks and will be distributed globally by DAZN PPV. In the US and Canada in addition to DAZN PPV, Paul vs. Diaz will be available on all major cable and satellite pay-per-view providers. All tickets can be purchased at https://www.ticketmaster.com/mvp-jake-paul-v-nate-diaz-dallas-texas-08-05-2023/event/0C005EA581B12549

Green, the former Team USA star who boasts an impressive 12-0 record with 11 KO’s and the record for fastest KO in a women’s fight, joined MVP after a trailblazing few years in the sport. She is currently the mandatory challenger for Undisputed champion Savannah Marshall’s newly earned WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF belts, which sets up a bout that would be the biggest women’s fight in UK history. As a former standout college basketball star, Green spent years as a starter for Old Dominion University (ODU) where she was impressively named Third Team All-CAA and ranked top 20 in the CAA in scoring. The Paterson, NJ native later broke out into the amateur boxing scene when she joined the U.S. National Team as a heavyweight after just five fights, earning a silver medal at the 2016 World Championships in Kazakhstan. In 2019, Green transitioned to professional boxing where she quickly gained notoriety as a top female contender, ranking #1 in the WBC and IBO, and #2 in the WBA, ultimately earning her the Paterson Laila Ali Award.

“I’m at the top of my game right now,” said Shadasia Green. “I may be next in line for the super middleweight title, but right now, I’m strictly focused on knocking out Olivia Curry. The August 5th card boasts an impressive lineup of fights and it's an honor to share center stage with female boxing legends like Amanda Serrano and Heather Hardy. I can’t wait to show fans in Dallas and at home exactly why they call me ‘The Sweet Terminator.’”

Curry, the professional boxer out of Chicago, originally hailing from Cincinnati, OH, comes to the ring after winning her last five fights. The 33-year-old began her amateur fighting career in Muay Thai, winning the TBA Classic and fighting the best Class A competition in North America. As an amateur boxer, she won the Chicago Golden Gloves and went on to represent Chicago at the National Golden Gloves three times. Curry was nationally ranked as an elite female and competed at the 2018 USA National Tournament. As a pro, she is ranked in the top 5 middleweight contenders by major sanctioning bodies and The Ring Magazine. Outside the ring, Curry is a commercial filmmaker. She is managed by Trinidad Garcia and Rick Ramos.

“I’m grateful to MVP and Real Fight, Inc. for the opportunity to fight Shadasia and introduce myself to the world with a bang,” said Olivia Curry. “I’m coming to Dallas to win. I want to show that women’s boxing at the higher, more dangerous weight classes is leveling up.”

RFI’s 32-year-old Alan Sanchez (22-5-1, 10 KOs), hails from Guadalajara, Mexico and has conducted his camp in Stockton, CA. Defined by the area's toughness, Sanchez is a 147 Ib standout who will take on Angel Beltran Villa who boasts an impressive record of 17-1 with 10 KOs. The 27-year-old from Mexicali, Mexico is currently training in Indio, CA and is entering this fight after an eight-fight winning streak, following his June knockout of Abraham Afful and unanimous decision upset win against Luis Lopez in March. He is managed by Francisco Garcia.

“Angel is a proper Mexican fighter who is going to come forward and challenge me the way a fighter should,” said Sanchez. “I only want the toughest fights and Angel ensures that both everyone is going to get their money’s worth.”

“Shadasia Green vs. Olivia Curry promises to be an exciting fight from start to finish. I am excited for the world to see why Jake and I are such big believers in Shadasia,” said MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. “For the first time, every member of our current MVP talent roster will be fighting on one card, and I couldn’t be prouder of the team we’ve built. Between the energy of the American Airlines Center, our incredible PPV production with DAZN, and the quality of the Paul vs. Diaz fighters- this night will be legendary.”

“These fights are the final pieces of a main card that showcases the best in boxing, Real Fight, Inc. and Most Valuable Promotions,” said RFI President, Zach Rosenfield. “We wanted to ensure that fans who attend this event and watch it all over the world through DAZN are treated to the best that boxing has to offer, and together we know that is what we are delivering.”

Most Valuable Promotions, founded by Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, and Real Fight, Inc., founded by Diaz, are partnering to bring Paul vs. Diaz to global audiences. The strategic partnership will combine the star power and international reach of both fighters to promote the year’s biggest fight. The event is presented by Celsius Essential Energy drinks and will be distributed globally by DAZN PPV. In the US and Canada in addition to DAZN PPV, Paul vs. Diaz will be available on all major cable and satellite pay-per-view providers.

For more information, follow on Twitter via @MostVPromotions, @shaygreen35, and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @shadasia_green, @oliviarosecurry, @MostValuablePromotions, and @DAZNBoxing.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

Most Valuable Promotions was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP has produced Jake Paul’s last four global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Fury match, which surpassed 800,000 Pay-per-view buys worldwide. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head-to-head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, recently earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.

About Real Fight, Inc.

Founded by mixed martial arts legend Nate Diaz, in 2022, Real Fight Inc. promotes exactly what the name suggests — the fights people want to see, featuring the realest fighters from all over the world. Since his departure from the UFC, Diaz is extending his business empire with a true all-around combat experience that will focus on boxing, MMA, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The inaugural event under the Real Fight, Inc. banner is set to take place on August 5, 2023, when Diaz makes his long-awaited professional boxing debut against Jake Paul at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The card will also feature RFI fighters, Chris Avila, Alan Sanchez, Jose Aguayo and Luciano Ramos

About DAZN:

DAZN is a leading digital sports platform in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Canada, US and the UK.  Its wide range of exclusive content includes top-flight football from the world’s most popular competitions – Bundesliga, English Premier League, J.League, La Liga, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League, in addition to the biggest sports from around the world - Formula 1, NFL, NBA, MotoGP and the UFC. 

DAZN is the NFL’s global partner and, from the 2023 season, will be the only place for fans around the world to watch every NFL match through the NFL Game Pass International add-on subscription. DAZN is a global home for boxing and combat sports through its partnerships with Matchroom Boxing the Professional Fighters League, and a global home for Women’s Football with UEFA Women’s Champions League and Finetwork Liga F.  DAZN is adding more and more sport to its platform to create a destination for sports fans. 

DAZN is reimagining the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, bet, play, share, socialize, and buy tickets, NFTs and merchandise. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. 

DAZN is available on most connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles, ensuring that fans have access to a ground-breaking rights catalog and slate of incredible content. In the UK and globally, DAZN can be accessed on Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic Smart TVs and on Games Consoles including PlayStation and Xbox. Subscribers also have access to DAZN on their Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast and Apple TV and can find the app on their iPhone, iPad, and android mobile devices. DAZN is available as an Amazon Channel on Amazon Prime TV and can be viewed on Channel 429 on Sky in the UK and Ireland.

DAZN is a global, privately-owned company with employees in over 25 countries. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com.  

About American Airlines Center:

Designed by architectural wizard David M. Schwarz and Dallas based HKS, Inc., American Airlines Center is considered one of the nation's top arenas. Since opening its doors in 2001, the Center has been setting the precedent for sporting and live entertainment events. Bringing in a wide variety of big name shows as well as being home of both the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, American Airlines Center consistently displays its unique versatility. Billboard Magazine named American Airlines Center the 6th busiest arena in the world in 2022.

Material and Photo Courtesy of: DAZN Used with permission

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS’ UNDEFEATED PHENOM ASHTON “H2O” SYLVE TO FACE LIGHTWEIGHT POWERHOUSE WILLIAM SILVA ON THE JAKE PAUL VS. NATE DIAZ PAY-PER-VIEW ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 5TH

Press Release: By DAZN and Most Valuable Promotions - DALLAS – June 28, 2023 – Today, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Real Fight Inc. (Real Fight) announced that undefeated lightweight Ashton “H20” Sylve (9-0, 8KOs) will face off with the much more experienced veteran lightweight William “Baby Face” Dos Santos Silva (30-4, 18 KOs) on the Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz pay-per-view card live from the American Airlines Center on August 5th in Dallas, TX. Sylve is coming off a dominating win over Adam Kipenga as the main event of MVP’s inaugural Most Valuable Prospects event, while Silva is fresh off a TKO victory over Diego Gonzalo Luque. The two will take the ring in an action packed eight-round matchup contested at 135 lbs. The Paul vs. Diaz pay-per-view will be distributed globally by DAZN PPV. In the US and Canada in addition to DAZN PPV, Paul vs. Diaz will be available on all major cable and satellite pay-per-view providers. All tickets can be purchased at https://www.ticketmaster.com/mvp-jake-paul-v-nate-diaz-dallas-texas-08-05-2023/event/0C005EA581B12549

Credit: DAZN/Most Valuable Promotions

Sylve, the first prospect signed by MVP and ESPN Ringside's 2022 prospect of the year, has knocked out eight of his nine opponents and has not shied away from fighting more experienced names in the ring, leveraging his formidable pound-for-pound power and fast twitch agility to deliver decisive victories in each of his professional bouts. The Long Beach, California native was a gifted amateur who turned pro at 16 with over 100 wins and 10 national titles to his credit. Sylve first rose to fame as an eight-year-old when a training video made by his father, Ivan, went viral, leading to an invite to Floyd Mayweather’s storied gym in Las Vegas.

"It has always been a dream of mine to fight among legends and shine under the brightest lights," said Ashton Sylve. "MVP has continually given me the opportunity to do so, and I couldn't be more excited about stepping back into the ring in what promises to be the event of the year. "I've been grinding like crazy to get ready for this fight, and trust me, my technique and skills will be on full display on August 5th. Dallas, get ready 'cause I'm coming for you! See you soon!"

Silva, a Brazilian native from Sao Paolo, and current resident of St. Petersburg, FL, holds the impressive title of former WBO Latino welterweight and WBO Latino lightweight champion. In 2016, Silva put his lightweight championship on the line, but was defeated by the powerful Felix Verdejo, but has since won a regional belt for the IBO. Silva continues to fight the best in the game with only four losses in his 17 year career by Verdejo, Arnold Barboza, Cletus Seldin, and two-weight world champion Teofimo Lopez who all had a combined record of 75-1 at the time of their fight against Silva. Silva steps into the ring with Ashton Sylve coming off two straight wins, most recently a TKO against Diego Gonzalo Luque. He is training under Jim McLaughlin, a member of the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame and is promoted by Reyes Boxing and Fire Fist Promotions.

“There will be fireworks during this fight,” shared William Silva. “I’m fighting for my family and country.”

Most Valuable Promotions, founded by Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, and Real Fight, Inc., founded by Diaz, are partnering to bring Paul vs. Diaz to global audiences. The strategic partnership will combine the star power and international reach of both fighters to promote the year’s biggest fight. The event will be distributed globally by DAZN PPV. In the US and Canada in addition to DAZN PPV, Paul vs. Diaz will be available on all major cable and satellite pay-per-view providers.

“Ashton continues to impress and entertain at such a young age and will bring his unique combination of knockout power and agility to the ring on August 5th,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions. “This fight represents his toughest test to date against a battle tested and dangerous Silva, who has only lost to some of the best fighters in the game. Sylve vs Silva is just one of many thrilling bouts on this card that promises to keep fans in the arena and at home on the edge of their seats, and we are thankful to our partners Real Fight, Inc., DAZN, and the American Airlines Center for their consistent hard work as we continue to build out an unforgettable night.”

For more information, follow on Twitter via @MostVPromotions, @AshtonSylveh2o, @WillBabyFace, and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @ashtonsylveh2o, @willbabyface, @MostValuablePromotions, and @DAZNBoxing.

About Most Valuable Promotions (MVP)

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