Jake Paul announced Thursday he will return to the boxing ring in Dubai on Christmas Eve, a little over a year after he sustained a broken jaw in a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua.
Paul’s opponent and additional event details will be revealed by Most Valuable Promotions over the coming weeks.
Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) required multiple surgeries to repair his jaw after it was broken in two places by Joshua, a former two-time unified heavyweight champion. The scheduled eight-round bout ended in the sixth round on Dec. 19, 2025, in Miami.
Since making his professional debut in 2020, Paul has become one of boxing’s biggest draws. His victory over Mike Tyson by unanimous decision in November 2024 drew 125 million viewers globally, according to MVP.
“I’ve spent years proving people wrong, taking risks, and pushing myself against opponents nobody thought I’d face,” Paul said in a news release. “Nothing that’s happened has changed my belief in myself or what I’m working toward. I’m hungrier than ever, and on Thursday, December 24, I’m returning to the ring in Dubai to start the next chapter of my journey.
“Dubai is a city that thinks big, breaks boundaries, and doesn’t believe in limits. That’s exactly the kind of place I want to make my comeback. 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.”
It will be the first professional bout in the United Arab Emirates for the 29-year-old Paul.
–Field Level Media
