Jake Paul vs. Cédric Doumbé Is Official for Christmas Eve in Dubai
By Real Combat Media Boxing Editorial Staff
Dubai, UAE, (December 24th, 2026)–Jake Paul has his comeback opponent. Most Valuable Promotions announced on Monday that Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) will face former two-time Glory kickboxing world champion and PFL star Cédric Doumbé in a professionally sanctioned eight-round cruiserweight bout on Thursday, December 24, at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. It will be Paul’s first fight since Anthony Joshua knocked him out in the sixth round in Miami on December 19th, 2025 and fractured his jaw in two places. It will also be Doumbé’s first boxing match since his lone pro boxing appearance in April 2015.
Paul, 29, confirmed the matchup on social media and fired the first shots at the announcement. He said Doumbé was calling him out two years ago after a nine-second knockout, admitted he is rusty and that his jaw is not what it was, and then warned his new opponent that “this isn’t kickboxing mon ami. This is BOXING.” Doumbé, 34, answered by calling himself a problem Paul has never faced and promising to finish the job Joshua started. MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said Doumbé has been asking for this fight for several years and that the timing makes sense.
Jake Paul vs. Cédric Doumbé Fight Details
| Fight | Jake Paul vs. Cédric Doumbé |
| Date | Thursday, December 24th, 2026 |
| Venue | Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai, UAE |
| Promotion | Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) |
| Bout | 8 rounds, cruiserweight (200 lbs), 10-ounce gloves |
| Broadcast | Not yet announced |
Jake Paul’s Comeback After the Broken Jaw
Paul has been out of the ring for nearly a year. The Joshua loss cost him a place in the WBA cruiserweight rankings, and he needed jaw surgeries in December and February before being medically cleared to fight again. He first announced the Christmas Eve return on October 29th, and the card is part of a cooperation agreement between MVP, the Dubai Sports Council and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. It will be Paul’s first professional fight in the United Arab Emirates.
Before the Joshua fight, Paul built his résumé on crossover opponents, with wins over Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz, a unanimous decision over Mike Tyson in November 2024 and a unanimous decision over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June 2025. He has said he still wants to fight for a boxing world championship, and his wish list of opponents has included Canelo Alvarez, Ryan Garcia, Conor McGregor, Francis Ngannou and Darren Till. Doumbé is the next name on a list that already leans toward fighters from other combat sports.
Who Is Cédric Doumbé?
Doumbé is one of the most recognized fighters in French combat sports. The Cameroon-born Frenchman is a former two-time Glory welterweight world champion with a kickboxing record of 75-7-1 and 45 knockouts. After moving to MMA he went 6-1, with six knockouts in his first seven pro fights, including the nine-second knockout of Jordan Zébo under the PFL banner in September 2023 that Paul referenced in his announcement. He has not fought since beating Jaleel Willis in Paris on May 18th, 2024.
The boxing experience gap is the obvious storyline. Paul has 14 pro boxing fights. Doumbé has one, a win in April 2015, and everything else in his career has come in kickboxing and MMA. What he does bring is a long record of finishing opponents with his hands, and Paul has already shown he can be hurt by a heavy puncher after what happened against Joshua.
Jake Paul vs. Cédric Doumbé Tale of the Tape
| Jake Paul | Cédric Doumbé | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 29 | 34 |
| Pro Boxing Record | 12-2, 7 KOs | 1-0 |
| Other Records | N/A | Kickboxing: 75-7-1, 45 KOs. MMA: 6-1 |
| Hometown | Cleveland, Ohio | France (born in Cameroon) |
| Last Fight | Loss to Anthony Joshua (KO 6), December 19th, 2025 | MMA win over Jaleel Willis, May 18th, 2024 |
Press Conferences and How to Watch
Paul and Doumbé will meet in person at public kickoff press conferences on Tuesday, November 10th, in Paris, and Thursday, November 12th, in Dubai. The Paris event is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CET and is free and open to the public. No broadcaster or streaming partner has been announced for the Christmas Eve card, and no undercard has been revealed. MVP has previously put Paul’s biggest fights on Netflix, but there is no confirmation of a platform for this one. Real Combat Media will update this story when the broadcast details are released.
Real Combat Media will have full coverage of Jake Paul vs. Cédric Doumbé, including both press conferences, the weigh-in, betting odds and how to watch, as the December 24th fight in Dubai gets closer.
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