Jake Paul will return to the boxing ring on December 24 against an opponent who has not yet been confirmed, marking his first fight since losing to Anthony Joshua.
Recovery and Career Doubts
The 29-year-old American had two titanium plates fitted and several teeth removed after Joshua broke his jaw during their heavyweight bout in December 2025. Following the injury, the influencer stated in May that his boxing career was in serious doubt.
Paul is scheduled to headline an event in Dubai on Christmas Eve, with multiple candidates currently under consideration to face him in the ring. Reflecting on his upcoming comeback, Paul expressed renewed determination about his future in the sport.
“I’ve spent years proving people wrong, taking risks, and pushing myself against opponents nobody thought I’d face,” Paul said. “Nothing that’s happened has changed my belief in myself or what I’m working toward. I’m hungrier than ever.”
“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,” he added.
Opponent Speculation and Career Background
As reported by the Sun, Nakisa Bidarian, who co-founded Most Valuable Promotions alongside Paul, revealed that former UFC fighter Darren Till is among the potential opponents being evaluated for the bout in the United Arab Emirates. Bidarian noted that they are currently finalizing an adversary worthy of Paul’s return and plan to share further details in the upcoming weeks.
Till, aged 33, departed the UFC after his last appearance in 2022 and transitioned to boxing in 2025 by defeating Luke Rockhold in his only professional boxing match. The Liverpudlian athlete subsequently transitioned to the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, where he secured a victory over Yoel Romero in September.
Throughout his professional career, Paul has secured 12 victories out of 14 fights, with his sole defeats occurring against Tommy Fury and Anthony Joshua. In July 2025, Paul secured a spot in the WBA cruiserweight rankings following a win over former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, but subsequently lost that standing in January after his loss to Joshua in Miami, where he was knocked down twice before being stopped in the sixth round.
