Jake Paul vs Cedric Doumbe: ‘Hang up the gloves’ pledge raises stakes for Christmas Eve comeback

Jake Paul has vowed to retire from boxing if Cedric Doumbe beats him at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Thursday 24 December.

The Jake Paul vs Cedric Doumbe contest will be Paul’s first fight since Anthony Joshua stopped him last December. Most Valuable Promotions has confirmed an eight-round professional cruiserweight bout at 200lb, with both fighters wearing 10oz gloves.

Jake Paul retirement pledge: ‘I will hang up the gloves’

Paul attached the retirement promise to a defeat when discussing the matchup in a social media video.

“If he wins, I will hang up the gloves and call it a day,” he said, in comments reported by MMA Fighting.

The 29-year-old also predicted a stoppage, insisting the contest would not reach the judges.

“This fight is not going the distance and someone is getting put to sleep in the Middle East and it’s not Santa,” Paul said.

He described Doumbe as a dangerous opponent and highlighted his championship experience. Those world titles came in kickboxing, however, with the French fighter having considerably less experience in professional boxing.

Jake Paul vs Cedric Doumbe: date, venue and fight rules

Detail	Confirmed information
Date	Thursday 24 December 2026
Venue	Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Weight limit	Cruiserweight, 200lb
Format	Eight three-minute rounds, professional boxing
Gloves	10oz
Arena-listed event time	7pm Dubai time / 3pm GMT
Main-event ring walks	To be confirmed
UK broadcaster	To be confirmed

The arena’s official event listing gives a 7pm local event time. That should not be treated as the time Paul and Doumbe will enter the ring, or as a confirmed UK broadcast start.

How can I watch Jake Paul vs Cedric Doumbe?

A UK television channel or streaming service has not been announced in the promoter’s published fight information.

Paul’s previous appearances on Netflix do not establish the broadcaster for this event. The main-event ring-walk time also remains unconfirmed, with the venue listing providing only an event time.

Our boxing on TV guide covers scheduled UK television broadcasts.

Paul returns after Joshua knockout and broken jaw

Anthony Joshua stopped Paul in the sixth round of their heavyweight fight in Miami on 19 December 2025.

Joshua scored four knockdowns: two in the fifth round and two in the sixth. Paul suffered a broken jaw and required surgery.

Paul said the injury and recovery had made him consider ending his boxing career.

“He broke my jaw. I have two titanium plates in my mouth,” he said.

The Dubai fight will take place just over a year after that defeat, with Paul returning to cruiserweight for his comeback.

Who is Cedric Doumbe and what are their records?

Jake Paul has a professional boxing record of 12 wins and two defeats, with seven victories by knockout. His losses came against Tommy Fury and Joshua.

Doumbe, 34, was born in Cameroon and represents France. The former GLORY welterweight champion has a kickboxing record of 75 wins, seven defeats and one draw, including 45 knockouts.

He also holds a 6-1 professional MMA record, with all six victories coming by knockout. His professional boxing record is 1-0.

The distinction matters when assessing the matchup. Doumbe brings extensive striking experience, but Paul has competed much more frequently under professional boxing rules.

There is also a commercial connection between their organisations. MVP and the PFL announced their merger on 30 July, bringing their boxing and MMA businesses under the MVP banner.

When do Paul vs Doumbe tickets go on sale?

General sale opens on Sunday 15 November at midday in Dubai, equivalent to 8am GMT. Registered-fan presale begins at the same times on Saturday 14 November.

MVP has also announced public launch press conferences in Paris on Tuesday 10 November and Dubai on Thursday 12 November.