Jake Paul Announces Christmas Eve Comeback, But Who Will He Fight?

Jake Paul will trade a year away from boxing for a Christmas Eve comeback in Dubai as he resumes his career following a shattered jaw suffered against Anthony Joshua.

Most Valuable Promotions announced that Paul will headline its Dec. 24 event in the United Arab Emirates. The matchup will be his first professional fight in Dubai, although the announcement left the identity of his opponent unanswered.

The promotion said an opponent and additional event details will be revealed in the coming weeks. For now, the draw is Paul’s return following a punishing encounter with the former two-time unified heavyweight world champion.

Paul, whose record stands at 12-2 with seven knockouts, framed the comeback as another test of his determination.

“I’ve spent years proving people wrong, taking risks, and pushing myself against opponents nobody thought I’d face. Nothing that’s happened has changed my belief in myself or what I’m working toward. I’m hungrier than ever, and on Thursday, December 24, I’m returning to the ring in Dubai to start the next chapter of my journey. Dubai is a city that thinks big, breaks boundaries, and doesn’t believe in limits. That’s exactly the kind of place I want to make my comeback. We’ve got plenty of names on the list; let’s see who signs the contract. Merry Christmas, Dubai. Santa Paul is coming to town, and somebody’s getting knocked out.”

The holiday booking follows two heavily watched events involving the social media sensation turned professional boxer.

Paul’s November 2024 fight against Mike Tyson attracted 125 million viewers globally. His December 2025 event against Joshua reached 33 million viewers worldwide, the company said.

Those figures help explain the commercial ambition behind a Christmas Eve card overseas. Paul began his professional boxing career in 2020 and has since built a business around matchups that attract attention beyond the sport’s regular audience.

MVP said the Dubai event is part of a cooperation agreement involving the Dubai Sports Council and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.

The promotion also positioned the card as part of its international expansion. According to the announcement, MVP’s merger with the Professional Fighters League brought hundreds of boxing and mixed martial arts athletes under one promotional banner.

No fighters in the undercard were revealed at press time.