Jake Paul is raising the bar for his upcoming Christmas Eve return to the ring.
Following his official announcement of a Dec. 24 boxing match against French kickboxer and MMA standout Cedric Doumbe in Dubai, Paul declared that if he loses this fight, he will retire from boxing. In a YouTube video, Paul made his intentions clear:
“Putting jokes aside, this is a serious matchup. Cedric has faced some of the toughest competitors throughout his career. He’s a two-time GLORY Kickboxing world champion and fears no one, including me—’The Vanilla Gorilla.’ But this is my sport—no kicks, no takedowns, and no glass on the floor like in Doumbe’s only PFL loss—we’ve confirmed all that.
“If he comes out on top, I’m hanging up my gloves for good. But if he loses, then ‘The Best’ just got dominated by a YouTuber with a titanium jaw. Cedric Doumbe, I, Jake Joseph Paul, am going to knock you out, humiliate you, and beat you on Christmas Eve. This fight won’t go the distance—someone’s getting knocked out in the Middle East, and it won’t be Santa.”
At 29 years old, Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) has been out of action throughout 2026, recovering from a broken jaw he sustained in a sixth-round knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in December 2025. Joshua, a towering 6-foot-6 two-time heavyweight champion, overwhelmed the 6-foot-1 Paul, handing him his first knockout defeat.
Paul’s injuries were severe enough to require multiple surgeries, casting doubt over his future in boxing. In May, during an interview on Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Paul admitted he was unsure if he would ever fight again.
Cedric Doumbe, a two-time GLORY Kickboxing champ and a key figure in Paul’s PFL MMA organization, usually fights at 170 pounds but will move up to the 200-pound cruiserweight division to face Paul. Doumbe has only one professional boxing bout on record—a four-round decision win over Mohamed Fodil in France, 2015.
Reflecting on his tough loss to Joshua and the brutal injury that sidelined him for almost a year, Paul said in Tuesday’s video:
“Why now? Honestly, after Joshua, part of me thought about quitting boxing altogether. He broke my jaw—two titanium plates in my mouth—I couldn’t eat for weeks, barely talk or even smile at my bank statements. I spent nights in bed wondering, ‘Do I still want this?’
“Obviously, I do. I’m not backing down.
“You all said, ‘Fight a real boxer,’ so I took on Anthony f***ing Joshua, and still the doubters are out there. I’m willing to fight anyone, anytime, anywhere—I’ve always said that.
“My next opponent just happens to be France’s biggest fighter.”
The fight will take place at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena. No broadcasting partner has been announced yet.
Fan Take: Jake Paul’s upcoming bout against Cedric Doumbe is a pivotal moment that could either cement or end his boxing career, making it a must-watch for fight fans. This matchup highlights the growing crossover between combat sports and entertainment, potentially shaping the future trajectory of boxing’s popularity and roster diversity.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
