Eddie Hearn reveals talks with ex-UFC star Nate Diaz over ‘fascinating’ boxing match with Canelo amid Ngannou pursuit
EDDIE HEARN has revealed he’s held talks with Nate Diaz – who is gunning for a clash with Canelo Alvarez.
MMA legend Diaz is looking to enter the boxing world after ending his 15-year-long stint with the UFC last September.
Nate Diaz became a free agent last November after seeing out his UFC contractGETTY
APMMA legend Diaz is keen to enter the world of boxing[/caption]
GettyMatchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn has reached out to the former UFC star[/caption]
AFPDiaz has set his sights on a showdown with former P4P king Canelo Alvarez[/caption]
Matchroom Boxing chief Hearn wasted little time in contacting Diaz after the UFC’s exclusive renegotiating period ended but was left stunned by the fan favourite’s aspirations in the squared circle.
During an appearance on The MMA Hour, he revealed: “It was just a friendly conversation to say, ‘What are you thinking?’
“And Nate Diaz’s mindset is, ‘I want to fight Canelo Alvarez.’ And who knows?”
Although a Canelo vs Diaz fight would do well at the box office, Hearn has reservations about making the fight.
He said: “I like to make competitive fights. That’s the problem again with Jake Paul, for example.
“Jake Paul against Nate Diaz may be a fight that happens over time.
“But at least with [Francis] Ngannou and AJ [Anthony Joshua], you’ve got two huge punchers were something could happen.
“It’s very difficult to give Nate Diaz a shot in a Canelo Alvarez fight.
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“But again, Nate Diaz can box. I’m not saying he’s going to compete with Canelo Alvarez.
“But he’s got a big fanbase.
“And I think there’s a fascination behind seeing these guys do something different.
“It’s the unknown. What’s going to happen?
“I have no idea. What if Francis Ngannou came out and they traded up and he knocked Anthony Joshua out?”
Bar hinting that he wants to compete in Japanese combat sports promotion RIZIN, Diaz has kept his cards close to his chest since his UFC exit.
Hearn would love to bring the enigmatic Stockton slugger into his stable of fighters but won’t move heaven and earth to sign him.
Nate Diaz closed out his UFC career with a submission victory over Tony FergusonGETTY
The 43-year-old said: “I’m not the type to turn outside of someone’s house and camp out and harass people and phone people.
“At the end of the day, I say to these people, ‘I believe I’m the best at what we do.
“‘We’re straighter than anybody in boxing and we’re going to deliver on every single promise we give you.
“‘If you want to be with me and us, it would be an absolute pleasure.
“We’ll have a nice conversation and we’ll go from there.
“‘If you want to go out and just talk with everybody and go with the one that pays you the dollar more, not really for me.’
“I just find that it fascinating, again, I think Diaz is in a different kind of position to [Fancis] Ngannou.”
