Jake Paul to return in Dubai on Christmas Eve, a year after his broken jaw against Joshua
Jake Paul will box in Dubai on December 24, 2026, his first fight since Anthony Joshua broke his jaw. The opponent has not been named yet.
The essentials: Jake Paul will fight again on Thursday, December 24, 2026, in Dubai, his promotion company Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced on October 29. It will be his first bout since Anthony Joshua knocked him out in December 2025 and left him with a double broken jaw. His opponent has not been named.
What has been announced?
MVP says the opponent and further details “will be officially revealed over the coming weeks”. It will be Paul’s first professional fight in Dubai. The event is part of a cooperation agreement between MVP, the Dubai Sports Council and Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism. No venue, broadcaster or ticket details have been published yet.
“Merry Christmas, Dubai. Santa Paul is coming to town, and somebody’s getting knocked out,” Paul said in the announcement.
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday, December 24, 2026 |
| City | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Opponent | To be announced |
| Venue and broadcaster | Not announced |
| Paul’s record | 12 wins, 2 losses (7 by knockout) |
Who could he fight?
MVP chief executive Nakisa Bidarian told Sky Sports the company was “finalising an opponent”. Sky Sports reports that Francis Ngannou, Chris Eubank Jr, Ryan Garcia and Darren Till are among the names discussed. “We’ve got plenty of names on the list; let’s see who signs the contract,” Paul said.
What happened against Joshua?
Paul fought Anthony Joshua, a former two-time unified heavyweight world champion, on December 19, 2025, at the Kaseya Center in Miami. He lasted until the sixth round before being knocked out. The fight was streamed worldwide on Netflix.
“Twelve months ago he suffered a double broken jaw against a two-time heavyweight world champion,” Bidarian said in the announcement. The injury raised doubts about Paul’s future. He had told interviewer Ariel Helwani that never boxing again “is definitely in the realm of possibility”, OutKick reports.
Before Joshua, Paul had beaten Mike Tyson in November 2024, a fight also shown on Netflix.
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