Jake Paul will return to the boxing ring on 24 December in Dubai, his first fight since losing to Anthony Joshua in December 2025.
The 29-year-old American influencer-turned-boxer suffered a broken jaw in that bout, requiring two titanium plates and the removal of several teeth. In May 2026, Paul had said his boxing career was "most definitely" in doubt.
Paul will headline a card on Christmas Eve, with his opponent yet to be confirmed. "I've spent years proving people wrong, taking risks, and pushing myself against opponents nobody thought I'd face," Paul said. "Nothing that's happened has changed my belief in myself or what I'm working toward. I'm hungrier than ever. We've got plenty of names on the list; let's see who signs the contract. Merry Christmas, Dubai. Santa Paul is coming to town, and somebody's getting knocked out."
Paul holds a professional record of 12 wins and 2 losses, with defeats against Tommy Fury and Joshua. His promoter, Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, told The Sun that former UFC fighter Darren Till is among the candidates for the Dubai bout. Till, 33, made his professional boxing debut in 2025 with a win over Luke Rockhold and recently competed in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, defeating Yoel Romero in September.
Paul entered the WBA cruiserweight rankings in July 2025 after beating former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., but lost that ranking following his sixth-round stoppage loss to Joshua in Miami.
