Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz odds, prediction, time: Boxing expert on 41-13 run reveals picks for Aug. 5 fight

Jake Paul returns to the boxing ring Saturday to face former UFC contender Nate Diaz in a 10-round boxing main event. Their showdown highlights the pay-per-view main Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz fight card (8 p.m. ET) from the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Paul, the former Disney child actor and YouTube creator, will be looking to avenge the first loss of his professional boxing career. He lost a split decision to Tommy Fury, the younger brother of heavyweight champ Tyson Fury, in February. Now he turns his attention to Diaz for a matchup that Paul has been calling for ever since he turned his attention to full-time boxing. Diaz will make his professional boxing debut following a 15-year run in the UFC that was highlighted by his upset over Conor McGregor in 2016.

Paul is a -400 favorite (risk $400 to return $100), while Diaz is priced at +310 in the latest Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz odds. The over/under for total rounds finished is 7.5, with a price of -115 on both sides. Before making any Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz picks, make sure you see the boxing predictions and betting advice from SportsLine analyst Peter Kahn.

Kahn is a true boxing insider who has his finger on the pulse of what's going on inside and outside of the ring. He has managed numerous world champions and currently manages 20 fighters through his company, Fight Game Advisors. Kahn recently won the 2022 Boxing Writers Association of America Cus D'Amato Manager of the Year award and was named to the 2023 Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.

Kahn is uncanny when it comes to picking fights. He is an astounding 41-13 on his last 54 SportsLine boxing picks, returning nearly $4,000 to $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed him has already seen massive returns.

Now, with Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz in sight, Kahn has studied the matchup from every angle and released confident picks for the fight. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine. 

Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz preview

Paul (6-1) is the driving force behind the crossover boxing craze that has seen influences step into the ring against each other or former athletes from other sports such as the UFC, NBA and NFL. Although Paul's first couple fights appeared to be aimed at settling online beefs, he developed a passion for the sport and asked to be taken seriously as a professional boxer.

The recognition he craves has been hard to come by, though many professional boxers have praised his work ethic and many combat sport athletes support Paul because the social media star has been an advocate for raising fighter pay in all sports. Paul has also seen some success as a promoter in women's boxing.

Paul answered some of his critics by taking on a professional boxer in his last bout, although Tommy Fury's credentials also have been questioned. Fury showed superior fundamentals, but Paul landed a few big shots and scored an eighth-round knockdown before coming up short on the scorecards.

As far as former MMA fighters are concerned, Diaz (21-13) brings more credibility than most. He and his older brother, Nick Diaz, are widely seen as iconic UFC figures who trained in a variety of disciplines. The Diaz brothers were known to regularly train with high-level boxers, such as former super middleweight champion Andre Ward, who once predicted either of the Diaz brothers could have been a top-10 boxer had they chosen that sport.

Diaz finished his UFC contract with a submission of Tony Ferguson in September of last year. Although he was long believed to covet the boxing match against Paul and accompanying payday, he said little about it publicly until the fight was announced a couple months ago.

Although he's never competed as a professional boxer, Diaz was known for his volume striking, endless cardio and durability while competing against world-class opponents in mixed martial arts. See who to back at SportsLine.

How to make Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz picks 

Kahn likes the Under 7.5 rounds at a price of -115. He's also locked in two other best bets, including a strong money-line pick and a method-of-victory prop. You can only see those selections at SportsLine.