​Jake
Paul will face former two-time Glory kickboxing champion
Cedric
Doumbe in his boxing return on Dec. 24 at Coca-Cola Arena in
Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Most Valuable Promotions announced the matchup Monday,
confirming an eight-round cruiserweight bout at 200 pounds with
10-ounce gloves. Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) will compete for the first time
since suffering a sixth-round knockout loss to Anthony
Joshua in December 2025.Cedric Doumbe vows to finish what Anthony Joshua started as
Jake Paul returns to boxing in Dubai
Doumbe (75-7-1, 45 KOs in kickboxing; 6-1, 6 KOs in MMA) twice held
the Glory welterweight championship. The French fighter also
recorded a nine-second knockout of Jordan Zebo
in his
Professional Fighters League debut in September 2023.
Paul took a verbal shot at his opponent, referencing Doumbe’s
kickboxing accomplishments while emphasizing that they will compete
under boxing rules.
“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,” Paul said in a statement released by Most
Valuable Promotions.
Doumbe promised to follow Joshua’s example and hand Paul another
knockout loss. “I’m going to finish the job Joshua started,” Doumbe
said.
The Christmas Eve matchup will mark Paul’s first professional fight
in Dubai. MVP also announced press conferences in Paris on Nov. 10
and Dubai on Nov. 12.𝙇𝙊𝙊𝙆𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙏𝙊 𝙍𝙀𝙈𝙄𝙉𝘿 𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙔𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝙒𝙃𝙊 𝙄𝙎
“𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘽𝙀𝙎𝙏” ☝️ @CedricDoumbe fires shot at @jakepaul ahead of
December 24th. Let the fun begin🍿👀 Tickets go ON SALE Sun, Nov
15th🎟️ ——— Thursday, December 24th Coca-Cola Arena – Dubai, UAE
@visitdubai @DubaiSC #PaulDoumbe— MVP – Most Valuable Promotions
(@MostVpromotions)
November 2, 2026