After staying away from boxing for nearly a year, celebrity streamer and boxer Jake Paul has now announced his return to the sport later this year. Last year, following his loss to Anthony Joshua, Paul broke his jaw and underwent two surgeries to repair it. Now cleared to return, “The Problem Child” is coming back to the ring on Dec. 24, 2026, in Dubai, UAE, against Cedric Doumbe.
However, Paul's comeback against Doumbe raised a lot of questions. Paul recently uploaded a video on his YouTube channel, where he promised to retire from the sport if he loses against the former French kickboxer.
“If he wins, I will hang up the gloves and call it a day,” Paul said in a video on his YouTube channel. “But if he loses, the man who calls himself ‘The Best' just got beat up by a YouTuber with a titanium jaw. So, Cedric Doumbe—I, Jake Joseph Paul, will knock you out, embarrass you, and defeat you on Christmas Eve. This fight is not going the distance, and someone is getting put to sleep in the Middle East, and it's not Santa.” (via ESPN)
Paul, 29, is 12-2 in his professional boxing career and has fought against several top names and celebrities. However, two of his biggest fights have been against Mike Tyson and Anthony Joshua, although Tyson was way past his prime then.
Article Continues BelowDoumbé, Paul's rival, aged 34, transitioned from a kickboxing career (63-7-1) to MMA, achieving a 6-1 record and recently overcoming Jaleel Willis at the Bellator Champions Series 2 in May 2024. His last boxing match dates back to over a decade ago, in 2015.