Jake Paul sets December 24 boxing return in Dubai after Joshua defeat

Jake Paul is set to return to boxing on December 24 in Dubai, his first fight since losing to Anthony Joshua last year, BBC Sport reported on Thursday. The American will headline a Christmas Eve card, although his opponent has not been confirmed. The scheduled return comes after a jaw injury that had raised doubts about whether he would fight again.

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Joshua broke Paul's jaw during their heavyweight contest in December 2025. BBC Sport reported that Paul subsequently had two titanium plates fitted and teeth removed. The defeat left him with a professional record of 12 wins and two losses, with Tommy Fury the only other boxer to have beaten him. Paul is now 29.

The recovery involved more than one operation. According to theScore's reporting, Paul had surgery the day after his sixth-round knockout defeat in Miami and underwent another procedure in February. After that second operation, he indicated that late 2026 or early 2027 was his intended window for a comeback. The December date now reported by the BBC falls within that earlier timetable.

His outlook had changed during the intervening months. In May, Paul publicly questioned whether his boxing career could continue, before saying days later that a doctor had allowed him to resume sparring within two or three months, theScore reported. Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian subsequently announced on October 8 that Paul had been medically cleared to return to boxing.

The opponent remains an unresolved part of the Dubai event. Boxing Wire reported on October 22 that Bidarian said the promotion was negotiating with four potential opponents, without naming them, and that the choice would determine the location and distribution. That was an account of discussions at the time, not confirmation that any particular fighter had agreed to face Paul.

In comments carried by BBC Sport with Thursday's news, Paul said his setbacks had not altered his confidence or ambitions. He also referred to multiple possible opponents and the need for someone to sign a contract. For now, the reported date and host city are established elements of his comeback plans, while the identity of the fighter in the opposite corner remains unannounced.