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Jake Paul has officially announced his opponent for his return to the boxing ring. On December 24 at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, the social media star will face former kickboxing world champion Cedric Doumbe.
The bout is scheduled for eight rounds at cruiserweight (200 lbs / 90.7 kg), with both fighters wearing 10-ounce gloves. Broadcast and live streaming details are yet to be announced.
For Paul, this marks his first outing since December 2025, when he suffered his first professional knockout loss against veteran heavyweight Anthony Joshua. That defeat left the American with a broken jaw that required two surgeries.
Prior to that loss, the YouTube sensation had put together a six-fight winning streak, building a 12-2 record with high-profile victories over names such as Mike Tyson, Mike Perry, and Nate Diaz.
“Cedric called me out two years ago after knocking out some guy in nine seconds,” Paul said in the official press release. “Well, now you get your shot. I need a tune-up, my jaw still isn't fully healed, and I don't have world kickboxing titles like you. But you know what – this isn't kickboxing, mon ami. This is boxing. Just like Usyk handled Rico Verhoeven, I'm going to finish you on Christmas Eve in Dubai, then celebrate the win with a bottle of Coca-Cola in the arena. You love to talk, so let's see what you have to say face-to-face at the press conferences next week in Paris and Dubai. To the proud people of France – I'm sorry for what I'm about to do, but your boy was naughty and he needs to be punished. I'm back.”
Cedric Doumbe, who holds a 6-1 professional MMA record with all six wins coming by knockout, stands as one of the most decorated kickboxers to successfully transition to mixed martial arts. Across a stellar kickboxing career, he amassed 45 knockouts and captured two GLORY world championship titles.
The Frenchman made two appearances under the PFL banner, delivering a sensational nine-second knockout in his debut before suffering a bizarre loss caused by a splinter in his toe. His last cage appearance came under the Bellator banner in May 2024, when he stopped Jaleel Willis via first-round TKO.
“Jake Paul calls himself 'The Problem Child,' but he's never faced a problem like me,” Doumbe fired back. “He has no idea what a Frenchman is capable of, and on December 24 in Dubai, I am going to destroy him. Jake likes to talk, and so do I, but after what Joshua did to his jaw, I'm not sure how much talk he has left. I'm going to finish what Joshua started. Dubai is a special place for me, and on Christmas Eve, I will wave the French flag over his lifeless body. France, this one is for you.”
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