Jake Paul was caught off guard by Nate Diaz’s lack of hostility at their first pre-fight press conference on Tuesday.

The younger Diaz brother is finally set to make his lifelong dream of competing in a professional boxing match a reality. Along with that comes several press obligations and the media festivities kicked off this week in Dallas at the American Airlines Center where the 185-pound clash goes down on Aug. 5.

Fashionably late as always if he’s to show up at all, Diaz entered the arena in relatively good spirits. Negative comments towards Paul from Stockton’s finest were minimal at best and the 38-year-old MMA veteran showed off his maturity, admitting he’ll save the heat for when fight week rolls around. Paul, however, took it more as a sign of weakness after the exchanges the two have shared in months prior.

“I think he’s a bully, like choking out random dudes on the street,” Paul said in a media scrum after the presser (h/t The Mac Life). “He’s always getting into fights, always causing trouble, so I’m excited to go in there Aug. 5 and bully the bully.

“He was calm, respectful [today] ... I don’t know, it was interesting. I wanted to get him riled up because he talked that s*** on social media, he says everything in interviews but today when I was face-to-face with him, he acted like a b****.”

Despite having most of his boxing experience come against former MMA fighters, Paul enters this upcoming match in unfamiliar territory. The previously undefeated 6-0 “Problem Child” suffered his first loss in his last time out against Tommy Fury in February via a split decision. It was only Paul’s third time going to the judges’ scorecards, following a unanimous decision win over Anderson Silva and a split decision nod over Tyron Woodley that came before knocking out Woodley in their rematch.

Paul, 26, has more than proven he can hang with seasoned MMA competitors trying their hands at boxing. His few bouts that have gone the distance also aid his case against any cardio concerns, but with Diaz who is a notoriously stronger closer than a starter, he knows he’ll need to take extra precautions.

“My cardio’s gonna have to be on point more than ever, more than any of my other fights,” Paul said. “Knowing that he’s going to try and survive to the later rounds, and I guarantee you that’s part of his strategy. So, we’re working and focusing on that.

“I think in boxing it’s just different. The way boxers punch, the way I’m taught, my technique is different than the MMA fighters. That’s why you’ve never seen Tyron Woodley get knocked out like that. It’s just a different style and there’s more weight on the end of the glove. So, when that’s coming swinging at you, it’s like a sledgehammer.”

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VIDEO STEW

History.

Paris knockouts.

Smith vs. Walker: UFC Journey.

Mexico Roundtable.

Rewatch.

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LISTEN UP

Heck of a Morning. MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck discusses Aljamain Sterling vs. Sean O’Malley, Fabian Edwards joins the show

Rankings Show. MMA Fighting’s Shaun Al-Shatti, Alexander K. Lee, Jed Meshew, and Damon Martin discuss AK vs. The World, plus Cejudo’s future, 3 most interesting final fights for Jon Jones, more

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SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

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FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Arman Tsarukyan (19-3) vs. Joaquim Silva (12-4); UFC Vegas 75, June 17

Ketlen Vieira (13-3) vs. Pannie Kianzad (17-6); UFC London, July 22

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FINAL THOUGHTS

I’m honestly just surprised Diaz showed up at all.

Thanks for reading!

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EXIT POLL

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