Jake Paul to Face Cedric Doumbé in Dubai Comeback

Jake Paul will face French combat sports veteran Cedric Doumbé in an eight-round boxing match on Dec. 24 at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. The bout will be contested at cruiserweight, with a maximum weight of 200 pounds, and was announced by Paul’s promotion company, Most Valuable Promotions. No broadcast partner has been announced.

The fight will be Paul’s first since Anthony Joshua stopped him last December and broke his jaw in multiple places. Paul underwent surgeries and had questioned whether he would box again. His record stands at 12-2, with the Joshua defeat his first knockout loss.

Doumbé, 34, is a former Glory kickboxing world champion with a 75-7-1 kickboxing record. He has also competed in mixed martial arts and last fought in May 2024, knocking out Jaleel Willis in the first round. Though he generally competes at a lower weight, he will meet Paul at cruiserweight. Doumbé has had one professional boxing bout, in 2015.

The matchup follows speculation that Paul might fight former UFC fighter Darren Till. Doumbé had previously called Paul out after a rapid knockout in an MMA bout. Both fighters have traded taunts ahead of the contest, with Paul saying he is rusty and still has concerns about his jaw, while arguing that the bout will be boxing rather than kickboxing.

Tickets are due to go on sale on Nov. 15. Promotional press conferences are scheduled for Nov. 10 in Paris and Nov. 12 in Dubai.