Jake Paul to return to the boxing ring on Christmas Eve in Dubai

American boxer and influencer Jake Paul will return to professional boxing on 24 December in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It will be his first fight since he was knocked out in the sixth round last year by Britain's Anthony Joshua, a former two-time unified heavyweight world champion. His opponent has not yet been announced.

Background

Paul suffered a broken jaw in the Joshua fight. In 2024 he also fought Mike Tyson. Since turning professional, Paul has a record of 12 wins and 2 defeats, seven of the wins by knockout.

Possible opponents

Paul says there are plenty of names on the list. Names mentioned previously include former UFC (mixed martial arts promotion) fighters Darren Till and Francis Ngannou, Britain's Chris Eubank Jr and Ryan Garcia, the WBC welterweight world champion.

"I've spent years proving people wrong, taking risks and pushing myself against opponents nobody thought I'd face," Paul said. He added that he is hungrier than ever. Of Dubai he said it is a city that thinks big and does not believe in limits.

Paul closed his statement by saying there are plenty of names on the list and that it remains to be seen who signs the contract.

Promoter's comments

Paul fights under Most Valuable Promotions. Its co-founder and CEO Nakisa Bidarian said many had doubted whether Paul would want or need to return after the broken jaw. He said the comeback shows what kind of competitor Paul is and how much he loves the sport. The company is finalising an opponent and expects to share more in the coming weeks.