Dustin Poirier shows interest in one-off boxing match, names potential opponent: “That would be fun stuff”

UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier is down for a trip to the boxing ring against Nate Diaz.

‘The Diamond’ is fresh off his return to the octagon last month against Islam Makhachev. In his third bid for undisputed lightweight gold, Dustin Poirier came up short. The longtime contender was submitted in the fifth round of the championship bout, and then gave an emotional post-fight interview.

In that interview, Dustin Poirier admitted that he might not fight again. Over a month later, however, the 35-year-old has changed his tune. In the last few weeks, Poirier has called for rematches with Makhachev, Michael Chandler, as well as Conor McGregor. However, the UFC lightweight also has an interest in moving to the boxing ring.

Appearing on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani earlier today, Dustin Poirier gave a career update. There, the 35-year-old seemingly put rumors of a potential retirement to bed. In the interview, Poirier was asked about the potential of stepping into the boxing ring. Surprisingly, the former interim champion was fully in favor of it.

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Dustin Poirier says he’d be down for a boxing match, and names Nate Diaz as an opponent he’d like to fight 👀

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— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 10, 2024

Former UFC interim champion Dustin Poirier shows interest in a boxing match

Dustin Poirier was asked about who he could face in a potential boxing one-off, and he named Nate Diaz. The Stockton native is fresh off his return over the weekend, defeating Jorge Masvidal by majority-decision. Poirier has long wanted a fight against Diaz and is willing to move to the ring to get it.

“A boxing match? Of course [that would excite me].” Dustin Poirier stated on The MMA Hour earlier today. “Of course. Just a change of speed, a different training camp, just something different. I’ve been doing MMA for a while, and I still love the training camps and I love fighting. But to go to purely boxing, the training camp would be a lot less wearing on the body. No wrestling, no jiu-jitsu, it would be boxing, running, swimming. That would be fun stuff.”

He concluded, “I would box Nate [Diaz], I would box Nate. Either [MMA or boxing works for me] but I would rather [fight] Nate in boxing.”

What do you make of these comments from the UFC lightweight contender? Do you want to see Dustin Poirier compete in a boxing match?