Jake Paul vs Cédric Doumbé Set for Christmas Eve in Dubai
Jake Paul has his comeback opponent, and it is not a soft one. The American will face French kickboxing star Cédric Doumbé on Christmas Eve at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
The fight is a professionally sanctioned eight round cruiserweight boxing bout, contested at 200 pounds with 10 ounce gloves, according to Sky Sports. It headlines an event from Paul's company, Most Valuable Promotions, staged under a cooperation agreement between MVP, the Dubai Sports Council and Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism. It will be Paul's first professional fight in Dubai.
The Background
Paul, 29, has not fought since December 2025, when former two time unified heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua knocked him out in the sixth round and broke his jaw. MVP announced his Christmas Eve return on 29 October without an opponent. Doumbé was confirmed on 2 November.
There is history here. According to Paul, Doumbé called him out two years ago after his nine second knockout of Jordan Zebo in Paris.
"Well, now you get your chance. I'm rusty, my jaw is janky and I don't have kickboxing world titles like you do. But guess what, this isn't kickboxing mon ami. This is BOXING."
Doumbé answered in kind.
"Jake Paul calls himself the Problem Child, but he's never faced a problem like me. Jake loves to talk, and so do I, but after what Joshua did to his jaw, I'm not sure how much talking he has left. I'm going to finish the job Joshua started."
What Paul Brings
Paul holds a professional record of 12 wins and 2 losses with 7 knockouts. His losses came against Tommy Fury in 2023 and Joshua in 2025, and in 2024 he fought Mike Tyson in a record breaking bout streamed on Netflix. He has the boxing experience in this matchup, and The National reports he will be favoured to win his return.
What Doumbé Brings
Doumbé, 34, was born in Cameroon and fights for France. He is a former two time GLORY welterweight kickboxing world champion with a kickboxing record of 75 wins, 7 losses and 1 draw, including 45 knockouts, according to Sky Sports. He has since moved to MMA, where his record stands at 6 wins and 1 loss, including time in the PFL. The nine second knockout of Zebo in September 2023, watched in person by Kylian Mbappé, made him a star well beyond kickboxing.
His boxing résumé is thin: one professional fight, a four round points win over Mohamed Fodil in 2015.
The Stakes
For Paul, this is about proving the Joshua knockout did not end anything. He returns after a year out and a jaw broken in two places, against a striker who has made a career of ending fights early. For Doumbé, it is the biggest stage of his career and a chance to beat Paul at his own sport. Paul is betting that boxing is a different game. Doumbé is betting that power travels.
Tickets go on sale through the Coca-Cola Arena website from midday on 15 November, with presale registration open now.
Christmas Eve in Dubai. Follow the build up and the result here on Fighting News, only at fighttosurvivemanagement.com.
Sources: Most Valuable Promotions, Sky Sports, The National.