Jake Paul announces December 24 boxing return in Dubai

Jake Paul is scheduled to return to boxing on 24 December in Dubai, his first fight since losing to Anthony Joshua in December 2025. BBC Sport reported on Thursday that the 29-year-old American will headline a Christmas Eve card, although his opponent has not been confirmed. The announcement sets a date for his comeback after an injury that had left his future in the sport uncertain.

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Paul suffered a broken jaw during the heavyweight defeat by Joshua in Miami. He subsequently had two titanium plates fitted and some teeth removed, according to the BBC report. In May, Paul acknowledged that his boxing career was in doubt. The Dubai announcement follows those concerns, but the report did not provide further medical details about his recovery.

Joshua knocked Paul down twice before stopping him in the sixth round. That result was Paul's second defeat as a professional, following his earlier loss to Tommy Fury. Paul has won 12 of his 14 professional contests, with seven victories coming by knockout, having made his professional debut in 2020.

In comments carried by BBC Sport, Paul said the setback had not altered his belief in himself or his boxing ambitions. He described himself as motivated to return and said multiple possible opponents remained on the list. His comments made clear that a contract still needed to be signed, leaving the identity of the other headline fighter unresolved despite the date and location being announced.

Nakisa Bidarian, who co-founded Most Valuable Promotions with Paul, said the promotion was working to finalise an opponent and expected to release more information in the coming weeks. BBC Sport also reported that Bidarian had identified former UFC fighter Darren Till as one of the names under consideration in an interview with the Sun. That did not amount to confirmation of a Paul-Till bout.

Paul's recent record also includes a victory over former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. That win earned him a place in the WBA cruiserweight rankings in July 2025, but he lost the ranking in January following the Joshua defeat. His announced Dubai appearance will therefore be his first bout since both the stoppage loss and the subsequent removal from those rankings.