Jake Paul to Face Cédric Doumbé in 8-Round Cruiserweight Bout in Dubai on December 24

Jake Paul will return to the boxing ring on December 24, 2026, against former two-time GLORY kickboxing world champion Cédric Doumbé. The cruiserweight bout is scheduled for eight rounds at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai and will be staged under the MVP banner.

The matchup is Paul's first appearance since his knockout loss to Anthony Joshua, a result that ended a run of success for the YouTuber-turned-boxer and left his record at 12-1. Paul, 29, is a native of the United States who fights out of an orthodox stance and trains under the Most Valuable Promotions umbrella, the company he co-founded. He stands six-foot-one, or 185 cm, with a 76-inch reach that measures 193 cm.

Doumbé arrives from a different discipline. The Frenchman holds a 75-7-1 record in kickboxing, where he reigned as a two-time GLORY world champion, and has added a 6-1 mark in mixed martial arts. That gives him 89 professional bouts across the two sports, against 13 for Paul in the ring. The fight will mark a boxing test for a striker whose pedigree is built on kicks and knees as much as hands, and the eight-round distance leaves room for a long, tactical contest.

Paul has increasingly built his schedule around opponents from other combat sports, and Doumbé fits that pattern as a decorated striker making the crossover into a boxing ring.

Why it matters

• Paul returns after the first knockout defeat of his boxing career, and the opponent he chooses will shape how that setback is perceived.
• Doumbé steps into a boxing ring with a combined 81-8-1 striking-sport record behind him, though he has no listed professional boxing experience.
• The Christmas Eve date in Dubai places the card in a calendar slot that rarely features a headline combat sports event.