Jake Paul-Nate Diaz, Serrano-Hardy II: Weigh-In Results From Dallas
BY
JAKE DONOVAN
Published Fri Aug 04, 2023, 12:44 PM EDT
Jake Paul and Nate Diaz each had to immediately weigh in for a second time to make their contracted limit.
Both boxers were initially over the agreed upon 185-pound weight on the first try in the presence of Texas’ combat sports commission during Friday’s official weigh-in. Paul came in right at 185 after stripping down behind a promotional banner, though he still had to step on the scale twice during that state before the commission officially confirmed his weight.
Diaz was 184.9 pounds for what will mark his pro boxing debut.
Their scheduled ten-round bout will headline a Pay-Per-View event as distributed by DAZN, ESPN+ and PPV.com, this Saturday beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Main event ring walks are expected at 11:30 p.m. ET, according to event handlers.
Paul (7-1, 6KOs) was at the second lightest weight of his pro career. The 26-year-old Cleveland native—who now lives and trains in Dorado, Puerto Rico—was 183.6 pounds ahead of his eight-round, split decision defeat to Tommy Fury atop a February 26 ESPN+ PPV event from Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. The social media influencer and developing cruiserweight was 186 ½ pounds in an eight-round win over former UFC champion Anderson Silva, who was 3-1 at the time of their Showtime PPV headliner last October 29 in Glendale, Arizona.
Diaz’s struggle to make the higher weight is a minor surprise, though less so given the fleshy physique he sported. The 38-year-old former MMA star from Stockton, California campaigned in the 170-pound welterweight division in the latter years of his UFC career.
The opposite issue came from the championship side of the evening’s co-feature.
Undisputed featherweight queen Amanda Serrano (44-2-1, 30KOs) has never come close to missing weight during her stellar 14-year career spanning title wins in a record-setting seven weight divisions. The team for the always responsible Brooklyn-bred, Boricua southpaw took issue, however, when her weight was initially announced at 121.7 pounds.
The Texas commission had to bring in a new and properly calibrated scale, on which Serrano clocked in at 124.6 pounds for her championship defense.
Heather Hardy (24-2, 4KOs) celebrated after weighing 125.8 pounds ahead of her rematch versus Serrano. The 41-year-old Brooklynite suffered her first career defeat in their September 2019 title fight, which saw Serrano win a ten-round decision to end Hardy’s WBO featherweight title reign at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City.
Serrano has since fully unified the division, including her ten-round, unanimous decision over then-WBA titlist Erika Cruz on February 4, also at Hulu Theater. The leading Fight of the Year contender marked Serrano’s second straight victory after a heartbreaking split-decision defeat to then-undefeated lightweight champ Katie Taylor in their epic championship clash last April 30 in MSG’s main room.
The weights for both fights as well as the full undercard (as listed below) occurred during the official commission weigh-in. A ceremonial session will air live on DAZN beginning 6:00 p.m. ET.
Undercard weights:
Shadasia Green (12-0, 11KOs), Patterson, New Jersey, 166.9 pounds vs. OIivia Curry (7-1, 2KOs), Chicago, 166.7 pounds—10 rounds, super middleweight
Ashton Sylve (9-0, 8KOs), Long Beach, California, 134 ½ pounds vs. William Silva (30-4, 18KOs), Sao Paulo, Brazil, 134.6 pounds—8 rounds, lightweight
Jeremy Stephens (0-0-1), Des Moines, Iowa, 167 pounds vs. Chris Avila (3-1, 0KOs), Stockton, California (weight t/k)—6 rounds, super middleweight
at what i watched
