Jake Paul Set for December Showdown Against MMA Star Cedric Doumbe

MIAMI, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 19: Jake Paul is held back by the referee against Anthony Joshua in their heavyweight bout during Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua at Kaseya Center on December 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida. Ed Mulholland/Getty Images for Netflix/AFP (Photo by Ed Mulholland / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) (AFP)

Jake Paul is preparing for his return to the boxing ring, approximately one year after suffering a double jaw fracture in his loss to former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. The 29-year-old Paul is scheduled to face mixed martial arts (MMA) standout Cedric Doumbe on December 24 in Dubai. Paul’s promotion company, Most Valuable Promotions, has announced the bout as a professionally sanctioned 8-round cruiserweight fight.

Anthony Joshua, right, punches Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, December 19, 2025, in Miami, Florida, the United States [Lynne Sladky/AP]

Following his sixth-round knockout by Joshua in Miami last December, which necessitated surgery, Paul was removed from the World Boxing Association (WBA) cruiserweight rankings. Throughout his professional boxing career, which commenced in 2020, Paul has predominantly competed in the cruiserweight division, typically around the 200-pound (90.7kg) limit. He boasts a record of 12 wins out of 14 fights, including a notable victory over the 58-year-old Mike Tyson in 2024. Doumbe, a French fighter of Cameroonian origin, is a former kickboxing world champion who has transitioned to MMA.