*Jake Paul will return to the ring on December 24 against French MMA standout Cedric Doumbe, marking his first fight since Anthony Joshua broke his jaw.
The matchup grew out of an old callout. Paul reminded fans of it when he revealed his opponent, per TMZ. “Cedric Douchebag was calling me out two years ago after knocking some dude out in nine seconds,” Paul said. “Well, Douchebag, now you get your chance.”
Doumbe brings far more experience in other combat sports than in boxing. His lone pro boxing appearance ended in a win back in 2015. He earned multiple world titles in kickboxing before switching to MMA in 2021. Since 2023, the 34-year-old has taken two of three MMA bouts. He was born in Cameroon and represents France.
Paul, meanwhile, is returning from a serious injury sustained in his December loss to Joshua. The damage required several operations. Doctors removed teeth and inserted titanium plates, and the healing process dragged on.
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Some even questioned whether he would fight again. Paul acknowledged the wear and tear but warned Doumbe about the rules of this contest.
“I’m rusty, my jaw is janky and I don’t have kickboxing world titles like you do,” Paul said. “But guess what, this isn’t kickboxing mon ami. This is BOXING.”
Following the Joshua defeat, Paul lost his place in the WBA cruiserweight rankings. He entered those rankings in July 2025 by defeating former champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. He was removed in January. His pro record stands at 12-2, with Tommy Fury handing him his other loss.
Doumbe and Paul’s bout will go eight rounds at cruiserweight. It is professionally sanctioned, and each fighter will use 10-ounce gloves.
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