Jake Paul has called for the introduction of a 185-pound weight division in boxing, highlighting the significant jump between light-heavyweight and cruiserweight.
Paul takes on Nate Diaz in Dallas this Saturday, August 5, with the pair set to fight at a catchweight of 185-lb.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer’s existing profile has meant he has been able to get fights outside of the traditional weight classes thus far in his career but, ahead of his bout with Diaz, the 26-year-old spoke about finding himself in the gap between the two divisions.
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“I’m kind of in this weird position because I’m not really a cruiserweight but I’m not really a light-heavyweight, I’m kind of in that middle ground,” Paul told The Sporting News.
“I think boxing should have a 185-lb weight class. It’s weird that it doesn’t.
“It’s weird that there’s a massive gap between 175 and 200, it doesn’t actually make any sense.
“I think that’s something that should be introduced to the sport in years to come.”
WATCH: Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz, live on DAZN
So while he may be too big for 175-lb and too small for 200-lb, Paul said his approach to fighting at the catchweight has been much smoother this time around, having come down to 185-lb for his most recent outing.
“I feel amazing getting to 185 for the second time now and having more time to do it,” Paul said.
“I’ve been working for the past four or five months in the gym, whereas for the Tommy [Fury] fight, my camp was basically seven weeks, which wasn’t enough time to properly get to this weight.”
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Now less than a week out from his eighth professional fight, “The Problem Child” feels he’s got a better understanding of his own game.
Last time out, Tommy Fury handed him the first loss of his career but Paul has used the setback to launch him to new heights.
“I’m more myself in the ring. I’ve developed more of my own style,” Paul explained.
“Way more fluid, in a rhythm, a higher work output and my footwork has gone to another level and I’m having fun in the ring, which makes me more relaxed and because of that, allows so many other things to happen.”
Many critics of Paul’s believed a loss would be the end of his boxing journey.
Instead, he’s landed himself a fight with one of combat sport’s biggest names.
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While previous opponents such as Fury and Tyron Woodley have been willing participants in the pre-fight trash talk and promotion, Diaz has been significantly more quiet.
“I think he’s adversarial and tries to do the opposite of what people think he’s going to do, so he’s probably just doing it to prove a point,” Paul said of his opponent’s recent behaviour.
“But I don’t really know what point it’s proving because it’s stupid of him to not want this fight to be as big as possible but I don’t think he understands that.”
So while the pre-bout shenanigans mightn’t be there this time, Paul believes his camp has prepared him to go to another level when they meet in the ring.
“The energy was just like super high and if you let boxing get monotonous and boring and really difficult, then all the fun gets sucked out of it and I think that’s happened to me in other camps and this camp was by far the most fun, just everyone laughing, having a great time, it didn’t feel like we were working,” Paul said.
“But then there are the worst moments where- I’m coming off a loss and when you’re in those tough moments in sparring and you’re going the extra rounds where you really have to bite down and find this inner strength to push through and to reach a new level.
“You have to break what you thought was possible before and mentally and physically that was the toughest challenge of this camp.”
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