Let's start by breaking down the technical side of Paul vs. Diaz.
If this were an ordinary fight, it would be tough to fit all the technical nuances of the matchup into a few paragraphs. But Paul and Diaz are both novices compared to best boxers in the world, so there isn't nearly as much to break down.
Both guys have a pretty straightforward approach to boxing.
Paul, as we've seen over his seven pro boxing matches, has a great right hand. He throws it fast and with a ton of power, and he has gotten better at landing it.
Just look at his knockout of Tyron Woodley, the most recent KO on his record. He set up that fight-ending right hand by faking his jab. It wasn't a lucky shot.
While we're on the subject, his jab is also decent. The fact that he regularly jabs at all is a good sign for such an inexperienced fighter. The fact that he varies his jab is an even better sign. He is not an advanced boxer—that became abundantly clear in his recent split-decision loss to Tommy Fury—but he does some things quite well and is clever enough to build strategies around those things.
Diaz has never had a pro boxing match, so tape study on him isn't possible. However, his body of work in the UFC gives a good sense of how he will approach his first trip to the ring.
Whereas Paul remains a bit clunky and plodding in his movement, Diaz moves well and chains strikes together well. Those skills are as important in MMA as they are in boxing.
Diaz understands the importance of attacking the body and favors high-volume salvos over knockout shots. In fact, he has landed the thirst-most strikes in UFC history at 2487. Those weren't all punches, but that figure still paints a clear picture of his approach to fighting.
It's difficult to say which of these two fighters has the better technique since we've never seen Diaz in a boxing match. Still, he was known for his boxing in the UFC, and there's reason to believe that will translate from the cage to the ring.
If that's the case, Diaz should be the slightly sharper man in this fight.
Edge: Diaz
