Jake Paul still chasing Nate Diaz fight in MMA, open to Floyd Mayweather next in boxing: ‘He needs the money’

Jake Paul is on the mend from a broken jaw sustained during his sixth-round knockout loss to Anthony Joshua and expects to resume training within weeks, he revealed this week on the Pat McAfee show.

Paul, originally scheduled to face Gervonta "Tank" Davis before the Joshua bout derailed those plans, said he anticipates official clearance to spar soon and is already in negotiations with several potential opponents. The YouTube-turned-boxer remains keen on exploring mixed martial arts, a crossover he has dangled for years. Nate Diaz remains his top target for an MMA debut, though Paul acknowledged those talks have been ongoing without resolution.

On the boxing side, Paul is open to facing Floyd Mayweather, the retired multi-division champion who has been competing in exhibition matches in recent years. Paul noted that Mayweather, despite a reported career earnings exceeding $1 billion, has faced recent financial turbulence including criminal charges related to a bad check, a civil lawsuit, and an IRS tax lien. "He needs the money," Paul said candidly.

Paul previously signed with the PFL but never competed for the organization. More recently, he has expressed interest in MVP MMA, the fledgling promotion that debuted successfully in May with a Netflix card headlined by Ronda Rousey versus Gina Carano. Though MVP has not announced a second event, Paul remains committed to an MMA entry within the next year or two while continuing to explore boxing opportunities. "We're in talks right now with multiple opponents," he said, emphasizing his fighting career is far from finished.