Jake Paul is coming back, and he has picked Christmas Eve to do it. The YouTuber-turned-boxer will headline a card in Dubai on Thursday 24 December, just over a year after Anthony Joshua broke his jaw in two places and knocked him out in Miami.
There is just one thing missing: an opponent. His promoters say a shortlist is down to a handful of names, with an announcement expected within a fortnight.
Back from the broken jaw
Paul, 29, was stopped in the sixth round by the former two-time unified heavyweight champion on 19 December 2025. Al Jazeera reported that the jaw fracture required multiple surgeries, in December and again in February. The fight, put together in a three-week window according to Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) chief executive Nakisa Bidarian, was streamed around the world on Netflix, Sky Sports reported.
It left Paul’s professional record at 12 wins and two defeats, the other loss coming against Tommy Fury. He also beat Mike Tyson on points in 2024, an event that drew heavy criticism, Al Jazeera noted.
Announcing his return this week, Paul struck a typically brash note. “Santa Paul is coming to town, and somebody’s getting knocked out,” he said, according to Sky Sports. In a separate statement quoted by Al Jazeera, he said he was hungrier than ever and ready to begin the next chapter of his career.
Who will he fight?
That is the big question, and so far nobody has signed. Bidarian told Sky Sports that MVP had narrowed the list to three or four names and was working out which of them could be signed.
Former UFC fighter Darren Till has been heavily linked, and Bidarian confirmed to Sky Sports that Till is on the list. Sky also mentioned former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, Chris Eubank Jr and WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia among the names that have been discussed. ClutchPoints, however, reported that Bidarian had ruled out both Ngannou and a rematch with Tommy Fury, so fans should treat all of these names as speculation until a contract is announced.
Paul himself has kept the guessing game going. In his statement, reported by Al Jazeera, he said there were plenty of names on his list and that it was now simply a case of seeing who would sign the contract. According to ClutchPoints, Bidarian said MVP was finalising an opponent it considered worthy of the occasion, with more details to follow in the coming weeks. Until then, every name being floated online is exactly that: a name being floated.
Why Dubai, and who will show it?
No arena has been named. A Christmas Eve date gives Paul a stage largely to himself in what is usually a quiet week for the sport.
The broadcaster has not been confirmed. Most of Paul’s recent fights, including the Joshua bout, have been shown on Netflix, but ClutchPoints cited a New York Post report suggesting this one may not be.
The timing is also notable given the mood elsewhere in the region. Several leading golfers have chosen to skip next week’s DP World Tour event in Abu Dhabi amid unease about Middle East security, although organisers there say events are going ahead as planned.
What happens next
MVP says the opponent should be revealed within the next two weeks, along with further details of the card. Paul’s camp will want a name big enough to sell a comeback, but not so dangerous that a second straight defeat ends his credibility as a serious fighter.
For Irish fight fans, the event will fall on Christmas Eve evening. Once the opponent is confirmed, attention will quickly turn to whether Paul’s jaw can stand up to a proper test, and whether the most talked-about man in boxing can rebuild after the heaviest defeat of his career.
Sources
- Sky Sports: Jake Paul to make boxing return on Christmas Eve in Dubai with opponent to be revealed (October 2026)
- Al Jazeera: YouTube star Jake Paul returns to boxing after Joshua loss for Dubai fight (29 October 2026)
- ClutchPoints: Jake Paul’s return fight location and date announced (29 October 2026)
- Golf Monthly: Which big names are missing the 2026 Abu Dhabi Championship? (October 2026)
Featured image: Jake Paul (48086583326).jpg by Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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