Jake Paul Returns to the Ring on Christmas Eve in Dubai
Jake Paul will return to the ring on 24 December, headlining a boxing card in Dubai on Christmas Eve. The BBC reports that his opponent has yet to be confirmed. It will be his first fight since Anthony Joshua stopped him in Miami.
Joshua broke Paul's jaw during their heavyweight bout in December 2025. Paul had two titanium plates fitted and some teeth removed afterwards, according to the BBC. Titanium plates are metal supports used to hold broken bones in place. ESPN and Reuters reported in March that he had undergone a second jaw surgery and was not expected to fight until at least late 2026. ESPN has since reported that he has been medically cleared to return to boxing.
Paul is 29 and has won 12 of his 14 professional fights. His two defeats came against Tommy Fury and Joshua. In the Miami fight, Joshua knocked him down twice before the referee stopped the bout in the sixth round.
Paul had also climbed into the rankings of the World Boxing Association (WBA), one of the sport's four major sanctioning bodies, which order fighters by weight class. He earned a place in the WBA cruiserweight rankings in July 2025 after beating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. He lost that ranking in January, after the defeat to Joshua.
The BBC says Darren Till, the former UFC fighter, is among the names being considered as Paul's opponent in the United Arab Emirates. No deal has been announced. Paul co-founded Most Valuable Promotions, the company that stages his fights, with Nakisa Bidarian.
For casual fans, the story is simple. Paul is back, the date is set, and the only open question is who will stand across from him on Christmas Eve. Until that name is confirmed, the date and venue are the firmest details on the table.
