Jake Paul has booked a Christmas Eve return in Dubai against an opponent who has not had a professional boxing match since 2015.

His own company, Most Valuable Promotions, confirmed on Monday that Paul will face Cédric Doumbé at the Coca-Cola Arena on 24 December. The bout is scheduled for eight rounds at cruiserweight, 200 pounds, with 10-ounce gloves.

Doumbé’s record is built outside boxing

Doumbé’s reputation sits in kickboxing and MMA. The 34-year-old Frenchman, born in Cameroon, holds a 75-7-1 kickboxing record with 45 knockouts and is a two-time welterweight world champion in the sport.

In MMA, Sky Sports reports he has recorded six KO victories in his first seven professional bouts. His only previous professional boxing fight, a four-round points win over Mohamed Fodil, came in 2015.

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Paul returns from the Joshua stoppage

Dubai will be Paul’s first fight since 19 December 2025, when Anthony Joshua stopped him in the sixth round of a heavyweight bout at the Kaseya Center in Miami. Paul, who suffered a broken jaw from a sixth-round knockout blow according to Sky Sports, fell to 12-2 with seven knockouts after a six-fight winning streak. The Joshua card was broadcast live on Netflix and billed as “Judgement Day”.

Paul leaned into the kickboxing-boxing crossover in his first words on the matchup.

“This isn’t kickboxing mon ami. This is BOXING,” he said in the announcement, per Sky Sports.

Doumbé’s answer, also to Sky Sports, pointed at Paul’s most recent night in the ring.

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“Jake Paul calls himself the Problem Child, but he’s never faced a problem like me,” the Frenchman said.

MVP has yet to name any undercard fights or confirm a broadcast partner for the Dubai card.

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