Jake Paul is held back by the referee during his heavyweight bout against Anthony Joshua on December 19, 2025 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, the US [Ed Mulholland/Getty Images via AFP]By APPublished On 2 Nov 20262 Nov 2026Jake Paul is returning to the ring a year after the YouTuber-turned-boxer had his jaw broken in two places in a loss to former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
The 29-year-old Paul will face mixed martial arts (MMA) star Cedric Doumbe on December 24 in Dubai in what Paul’s promotion company – Most Valuable Promotions – called a “professionally sanctioned 8-round cruiserweight bout”.
Paul slipped out of the World Boxing Association (WBA) cruiserweight rankings after the sixth-round knockout by Joshua in Miami last December, after which the American needed surgery.
Paul has fought primarily at the 200-pound (90.7kg) cruiserweight class in the majority of his bouts in a pro boxing career that began in 2020. He has won 12 of his 14 fights, with one of his victories coming against 58-year-old Mike Tyson in 2024.
Doumbe, a Cameroon-born Frenchman, was a kickboxing world champion and is now an MMA fighter.
