Nate Diaz to apply for boxing license in Nevada

In 2016, Nate Diaz had a break-out year in the Octagon. Could his 2017 be marked by an appearance inside a ring?

Diaz is in the process of applying for a boxing license in Nevada, Bob Bennett, the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) executive director, confirmed with MMA Fighting on Tuesday. The news was first reported by ESPN.com.

Bennett confirmed that Diaz has already paid the $50,000 fine levied to him last month by the NAC for a press-conference skirmish with Conor McGregor. Diaz has also submitted video footage of himself boxing and the NAC expects to approve his license, Bennett told ESPN.

McGregor, Diaz’s biggest MMA rival, applied and secured his boxing license in California last month. He, too, is trying to get a boxing license in Nevada, but the process is being held up by his continuing case with the commission. McGregor’s legal team will be challenging sanctions given to him by the NAC — a $75,000 fine, 50 hours of community service and the filming of a public-service announcement — for the Diaz press-conference incident in court.

McGregor and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have been going back and forth about a potential boxing match. UFC president Dana White even made Mayweather an offer of $25 million for that bout last week on “The Herd.”

Diaz, 31, has long spoken about boxing and is a sparring partner of Andre Ward, who is near the top of the pound-for-pound list of boxers. He and McGregor fought twice last year in the UFC, with Diaz winning by second-round submission in the first matchup and McGregor taking home a majority decision victory in the second.