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Cucurella: Spain Reaping Rewards Of Outsider Tag
It took almost five years, but Nate Diaz finally got his revenge over Jorge Masvidal in a professional boxing ring Saturday.
Diaz defeated Masvidal by majority decision in their 10-round match, which headlined a pay-per-view event at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Two of the three judges scoring the bout, which saw competitive, back-and-forth action, scored it for Diaz via scores of 98-92 and 97-93. A third scored it an even draw at 95-95.
The victory avenged Diaz's third-round TKO loss to Masvidal from November 2019, when the two met in the UFC's first BMF title fight. Masvidal won when a physician ruled Diaz couldn't continue due to a cut; Diaz didn't agree. After Saturday's win, Diaz called for two more rematches, Jake Paul, who defeated him in boxing last year, and UFC champ Leon Edwards.
"I'm going to beat Jake Paul's f---ing ass and I'm down to fight the highest-ranked boxer I can find," Diaz said. "My main objective is to be the best fighter in the world, so I want to go back and get a UFC title. [UFC welterweight champion] Leon Edwards, Jake Paul and anybody the f--- else, you're dead."
Masvidal, 39, who retired from MMA in April but has already hinted at a possible comeback, said he disagreed with the scorecards and called for a third fight against Diaz.
"I thought I won," Masvidal said. "I thought I hit the harder shots. We can do it again, we're 1-1. We'll find a place and do it again."
It was a classic Diaz performance, as he simply overwhelmed Masvidal with volume over the course of the 175-pound fight. Masvidal appeared to land the harder shots, but Diaz's notorious chin held up beautifully, and his pace was a weapon for him all night. At times, he laughed and turned his back to Masvidal, and the two continued to fire punches until the final bell.
The event aired on DAZN and was co-promoted by Diaz's Real Fight Inc. and Masvidal's Gamebred Boxing. It featured other well-known names from the combat sports world, including former UFC champion Anthony Pettis, who lost to Diaz's longtime teammate Chris Avila.
