Jake Paul to return to boxing in Dubai on 24 December after broken jaw

Jake Paul will return to the ring on 24 December in Dubai, where he will headline the card. It will be his first bout since Anthony Joshua stopped him in the sixth round of a heavyweight fight in Miami in December 2025. Paul's jaw was broken in that fight. His opponent has not yet been announced.

Paul, 29, has a professional record of 12 wins and two defeats. His only professional losses came against Tommy Fury and Joshua. According to ESPN, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced the Dubai event on Thursday. MVP was co-founded by Paul and Nakisa Bidarian.

Injury and recovery

Al Jazeera and ESPN date the Joshua fight to 19 December 2025. Both report that Paul's jaw injuries required multiple surgeries, in December and February. According to Al Jazeera, the jaw was fractured in two places. According to BBC Sport, Joshua knocked Paul down twice before the stoppage, and Paul later had two titanium plates fitted and some teeth removed.

BBC Sport reports that in May, Paul said his boxing career was "most definitely" in doubt. According to ESPN, he was cleared to resume full contact earlier this month. The reports do not say who cleared him or what the clearance involved.

Possible opponents

Former UFC fighter Darren Till is among the fighters being considered. According to BBC Sport, Bidarian told the Sun earlier this week that Till was among the names under consideration. BBC Sport says Till, 33, last fought in the UFC in 2022 and beat Luke Rockhold in 2025 in his only professional boxing bout. According to ESPN, Bidarian has ruled out Francis Ngannou as an immediate opponent.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include the venue, the weight class, or whether the bout will be a professional or exhibition contest. They also do not name a broadcaster or sanctioning body.

What is disputed

The reports differ on how to classify Paul's win over former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. Al Jazeera describes it as an exhibition that drew criticism as a sham event. ESPN counts it among six straight wins before the Joshua loss and does not call it an exhibition.

What each side says

Paul announced his return in a statement. ESPN quoted it as saying: "Nothing that's happened has changed my belief in myself or what I'm working toward. I'm hungrier than ever and on Thursday, December 24, I'm returning to the ring in Dubai to start the next chapter of my journey." On the opponent, ESPN quoted him as saying: "We've got plenty of names on the list; let's see who signs the contract."

BBC Sport quoted Bidarian as saying: "We're finalising an opponent worthy of Jake's return and look forward to sharing more in the coming weeks." ESPN quoted him as saying many had "doubted his desire or need to return to boxing."

Analysis

Much about the 24 December event is still unknown. The opponent, weight class and contest status will shape how the fight is judged. A bout against an established boxer would test Paul's recovery more severely than a matchup with a fighter from mixed martial arts or bare-knuckle competition. The differing accounts of the Tyson fight show that observers do not agree on how to rate Paul's career. That disagreement may continue whoever he faces. How Paul performs after major jaw surgery could also influence his future options. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not settle any of these questions.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.