Jake Paul announces Dubai boxing return on 24 December after Joshua defeat
Paul says he will fight again on Christmas Eve, almost a year after Anthony Joshua stopped him. No opponent has been confirmed.
Jake Paul says he will return to boxing in Dubai on 24 December 2026, his first fight since Anthony Joshua stopped him last December, BBC Sport reported. The planned comeback follows a defeat that left Paul with jaw injuries, but no opponent has been confirmed.
In remarks quoted by BBC Sport, Paul said he was ‘hungrier than ever’ and that the loss had not changed his belief in what he was working towards. He said several names were under consideration and asked who would sign a contract. Those comments describe his plans and motivation; they do not identify a signed opponent.
Who could Jake Paul fight in Dubai?
BBC Sport said several names were understood to be in contention. Paul's business partner Nakisa Bidarian had told the Sun earlier in the week that former UFC fighter Darren Till was among those being considered, according to the BBC. Till has not been named as Paul's opponent, and the announcement did not settle who will face him in Dubai.
The December date would bring Paul back roughly a year after Joshua stopped him in the sixth round of their heavyweight bout in December 2025. BBC Sport reported that Joshua knocked Paul down twice and that Paul subsequently had two titanium plates fitted and some teeth removed. Paul had said in May that his boxing career was ‘most definitely’ in doubt, the BBC reported.
What Bidarian said about Paul's comeback
Bidarian, who runs Most Valuable Promotions with Paul, spoke to The Independent on the Monday before the return was announced. He said the promotion would not consider putting Paul back in the ring unless Paul's love and motivation for boxing matched or exceeded what they had been before the Joshua fight. ‘Boxing is not a game; you don't play boxing,’ Bidarian said. His comments described the promotion's thinking ahead of the announcement.
The Independent reported that Paul underwent multiple surgeries after the Joshua bout and had said his doctor did not want him to fight again. Bidarian said Paul wanted to continue pursuing his goal of becoming a world champion. That ambition is Paul's stated aim; the immediate question for the announced return is who will take the other corner on 24 December.
Paul's record stands at 12 wins in 14 fights, according to BBC Sport. Before Joshua stopped him, his other professional defeat came on points against Tommy Fury in 2023, The Independent reported. Those losses frame a return that Paul and his promoter have presented as a continuation of his boxing career after a serious injury.
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Sources and context
- Jake Paul: American to return to ring on 24 December in DubaiBBC Sport
- Jake Paul partner lifts lid on influencer’s feelings towards boxing after Anthony Joshua KOThe Independent (republished by Yahoo Sports)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.