Watch: Nate Diaz, Jake Paul share first staredown ahead of boxing match

It was a unique press conference with both fighters showcasing their personalities. At one point, Diaz briefly excused himself to use the restroom, while Paul held up a toy monkey, claiming it resembled Diaz’s thought process. 

Last November, Diaz (21-13 MMA) became a free agent after 15 years with the UFC and hinted at a move to boxing. He will now make his boxing debut against Paul (6-1 boxing) on Aug. 5. 

“My plan in fighting is always to fight the biggest name and the best fighters there are,” Diaz said. “When I was on the way out [of the UFC, Jake Paul] was doing the biggest and best things for fighting…I was glad I had a worthy opponent as soon as I got out.”

Paul must defeat Diaz to return to the win column. He suffered his first boxing defeat to Tommy Fury by split decision in February. He hopes to add another win over a former UFC star to his resume, having previously beaten Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Ben Askren. 

“I think [Nate Diaz’s] going to be sharp for a couple of rounds but there’s just nothing he can do to stop me,” Paul said. “I’m faster, I’m stronger, I’m the better boxer…I see it ending in four rounds or less.”

If he secures a win over Diaz in August, Paul has expressed his intention to challenge Diaz's long-time UFC rival Conor McGregor in boxing, claiming that a fight between the two stars is inevitable.

Prior to their meeting on Tuesday, Diaz got into an altercation with Paul’s entourage last October. Following Paul’s win over Silva, he claimed that Diaz attempted to gain access to his locker room and then challenged the Stockton, California native to a fight. 

The two combat sports stars are set to settle their differences in a 185-pound bout contracted for eight rounds at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.