Nate Diaz is applying for a boxing licence in California … just sayin’

Imagine it!

Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz III in the boxing ring... stranger things have happened. Well, actually, maybe they haven't. But if the latter is granted a boxing licence like the former recently was, who's to say that it couldn't happen? You've probably heard but 'The Notorious' was awarded a boxing licence by the California State Athletic Commission a fortnight ago, an act that led many eager fight fans to believe that McGregor's much discussed dream super-fight against boxing great Floyd Mayweather could become a reality. And it might. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdiDnSm8ndc But so too could he meet Diaz in the squared circle as it's since emerged that the Stockton scrapper is to apply for a boxing licence in California, as well as Nevada. "I'm going to get my boxing license in Cali and Nevada," Diaz told Elias Cepeda of Champions.co. "I tried to get out of my contract years ago, my UFC contract, I had guys try to buy my contract out so I could box years ago but they wouldn't let me go." Diaz suggested that he would be open to boxing on the undercard of McGregor's pugilism debut if the Irishman is offered a huge payday against Mayweather. And the TUF 5 season winner, whose record against McGregor is 1-1, has also revealed that he would be in it for the long haul if he were to swap the Octagon for the ring.

"I'm not doing it for a publicity stunt - I'm doing it because I love the sport of boxing," Diaz added.

"I want to win. I want to fight for real, and get out of some of this shit that I'm not into, anyway. I don't think they want me in there anyway, so might as well stay out."

Before the weekend, we looked at some hints that suggested that the next fight in both fighters' careers could come against one another on the UFC's Anaheim pay-per-view on August 5. But that was before Diaz's revelation and given the fact that both men have 0-0 boxing records, athletic commissions might be a little more willing to sign off on a bout between the pair rather than match one up against an all-time great. This is all mere speculation at this point but it would be a little strange if the only fighters in the UFC to hold boxing licences in California just so happened to be fierce rivals. That's all we're saying. Diarmuid Connolly makes his long overdue GAA Hour debut and talks to Colm Parkinson about everything from the black card to his rivalry with Lee Keegan and how he honed the ability to kick accurately with either foot.