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Jake Paul to Box Cedric Doumbe on Christmas Eve

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In Short: Jake Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer, will face MMA star Cedric Doumbe in a cruiserweight bout on December 24 in Dubai.

Jake Paul, the 29-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer, will return to the ring on December 24 in Dubai to face MMA star Cedric Doumbe in an 8-round cruiserweight bout.

Paul's promotion company, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), announced the fight, which will take place at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

Paul has won 12 of his 14 fights, including a victory against 58-year-old Mike Tyson in 2024. However, he suffered a significant injury in his last fight against Anthony Joshua, where his jaw was broken in two places, necessitating surgery.

Doumbe, a 34-year-old Cameroon-born Frenchman, is a former kickboxing world champion who has since transitioned to MMA. He has a professional kickboxing record of 75-7-1, with 45 knockouts.

Paul's return to the ring comes after he had to have two titanium plates fitted and some teeth removed following the Joshua fight. He was knocked down twice before being stopped in the sixth round.

Doumbe, who has only one professional boxing bout to his name, which he won in 2015, has won two of his three MMA fights since joining the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in 2023.

Paul, who has fought primarily at the 200-pound cruiserweight class since his pro boxing career began in 2020, said in May that his boxing career was 'most definitely' in doubt following the injury. He now vows to be 'hungrier than ever.'

Doumbe, who has a 6-1 MMA record with all six wins by knockout, was called out by Paul two years ago after knocking out a fighter in 9 seconds.

Paul, who has a professional boxing record of 12-2, with his only losses coming to Tommy Fury and Anthony Joshua, said, 'Cédric Douchebag was calling me out two years ago after knocking some dude out in 9 seconds. Well, Douchebag, now you get your chance. I'm rusty, my jaw is janky and I don't have kickboxing world titles like you do. But guess what, this isn't kickboxing mon ami. This is BOXING.'

What this adds

Background

What's confirmed

• Jake Paul is returning to the ring a year after the YouTuber-turned-boxer had his jaw broken in two places in a loss to former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
• The 29-year-old Paul will face mixed martial arts (MMA) star Cedric Doumbe on December 24 in Dubai in what Paul’s promotion company – Most Valuable Promotions – called a “professionally sanctioned 8-round cruiserweight bout”.
• Doumbe, a Cameroon-born Frenchman, was a kickboxing world champion and is now an MMA fighter.
• The 34-year-old is signed to the Professional Fighters League (PFL) - an MMA promotion that Paul's Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) merged with in July.
• The opponent for Jake Paul has been announced.
• “Cédric Douchebag was calling me out two years ago after knocking some dude out in 9 seconds,” Paul said.
• Paul has fought primarily at the 200-pound cruiserweight class in the majority of his bouts in a pro boxing career that began in 2020.

What's still developing

• Doumbé possède déjà une expérience en boxe professionnelle.
• Doumbe will be an eight-round match contested in the cruiserweight division (200 pounds) with 10-ounce gloves.
• After a 2022 UFC deal fell through, Doumbe later signed onto the PFL roster in 2023.
• FILE - Jake Paul arrives at the ESPY Awards at Lincoln Center on July 15, 2026, in New York.

Sources

• Al Jazeeralink
• BBClink
• Beninwebtvlink
• Fightfullink
• MMA Fightinglink
• MMA Suckalink
• MMANews.comlink
• POST Wrestlinglink
• TMZlink
• WV Newslink
• theScorelink
• Belfasttelegraphlink
• WarpBeat — background on Jake Paul to Face Cedric Doumbe in Boxing Return link
• WarpBeat — background on Jake Paul to Face Cedric Doumbe in Boxing Return on Christmas Eve link
• Fight Society — video link