Matchroom Boxing CEO Eddie Hearn was less than impressed by the Paul vs Diaz fight. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani – who was on the mic for the event – on The MMA Hour, Hearn lambasted the fight and Paul’s skills in particular.
“It was awful. Don’t get me wrong, the event was unbelievable. You did a great job. Brilliant.
Eddie Hearn Blasts “Awful” Diaz vs Paul Fight
But when you’re talking about… you know MMA like the back of your hand. I know boxing like the back of my hand, and I’m watching that like [face in his hands], ‘This is so bad.’
The reason that Nate didn’t get stopped is that Jake didn’t have the ability. He doesn’t know how to break a fighter down, cut off the ring, beat him up, and stop him.
But I give my props to Nate: super tough. Super tough. But you’re talking about low, low level in terms of standard.” Hearn continued, claiming that neither Nate Diaz nor Jake Paul could even win a local title.
“We have something in the U.K. called an area title, which is in a specific radius — it’s kind of like a state title. These guys wouldn’t win a state title. That’s the level they’re fighting at.
But listen, props to Nate. He definitely didn’t have ability, but what he did have was grit. But Jake just doesn’t have the ability or the experience to break someone down and stop them. And I was convinced he would.”
Hearn did concede, however, that he respects Paul’s promotional acumen, and his contribution to the sport of boxing. He just thinks that Paul isn’t very good at the boxing side of things.
“It’s so difficult to say [whether Jake Paul is regressing] because of the level of opposition. I thought he did OK against Tommy Fury, but then when he’s fighting Nate — I know Nate is super tough and you love him, but he’s very limited as a boxer. I can’t even tell you. I don’t know.
I still respect Jake. He’s putting the time in, he’s sparring, he’s doing rounds. The event was unbelievable, the numbers were great, and although it was a boxer against an MMA guy, it did still feel like a fight.
It didn’t feel like a YouTube event. It had real boxers on the undercard, Amanda Serrano. I like the events. I think he’s doing a great job in that respect.”
