If anyone can understand Nate Diaz’s boxing skills, it’s multiple-time world champion Andre Ward.
Ward and Diaz have been sparring partners in the past, and as Diaz prepares to face Jake Paul on Aug. 5 in Dallas, the 32-0 retired boxer wants fans to not judge video of a pad hitting session by its cover.
“People look at that mitt session that they had and they just misread the play, man, [because] those type of shots, they don’t look pretty, but they keep coming,” Ward said Monday on The MMA Hour. “They keep coming from different angles and he’s got some miles on him. He’s been around a long time.
“[Diaz has] to show that he can take the shot from Jake Paul, because Jake has a natural right hand, it’s got power on it. So if he can take that right hand from Jake Paul, it’s gonna be a tougher fight than people realize, man, because Nate’s going to keep coming.”
Ward hasn’t competed in the squared circle since stopping Sergey Kovalev in the eighth round in June 2017, although he has expressed interest in returning to boxing all of these years later — whether it be in an exhibition or pro bout.
As far as his involvement in working with Diaz ahead of the big fight with “The Problem Child” in August, the “Son of God” expects to spend some time with the longtime UFC competitor this summer.
“Not to go too deep into it, but he’s reached out and we’re gonna connect at a certain point when the fight is getting close,” Ward said. “But that’s my brother. I respect what he’s done for Stockton and in this area, him and his brother [Nick Diaz], and it’s going to be a good fight.”
