Jake Paul and Cedric Doumbe trade words at first Paris face-off

Jake Paul and Cedric Doumbe exchanged words at their first face-off in Paris on Tuesday as preparations gathered pace for their Christmas Eve fight in Dubai.

The pair met ahead of their eight-round cruiserweight contest at the Coca-Cola Arena on Thursday 24 December. Paul arrives with an extra consequence attached to defeat: he has already promised to retire if Doumbe beats him.

Footage published by MMA Fighting showed Paul speaking towards a smiling Doumbe during the staredown. Despite the verbal exchanges, their first face-off passed without a physical confrontation.

Jake Paul press conference follows retirement pledge

Paul’s retirement promise predates Tuesday’s appearance. He made it in a promotional video last week, when he also predicted that the fight would finish inside the distance.

“If he wins, I will hang up the gloves and call it a day,” Paul said, in comments reported by MMA Mania on 3 November.

The American acknowledged Doumbe’s championship experience in kickboxing but argued that competing under boxing rules would favour him.

“This is a dangerous fight,” he said. “Cedric has been in there with killers his whole career.”

The Dubai contest will be Paul’s first since Anthony Joshua stopped him in the sixth round last December. Paul suffered a broken jaw in that defeat, which left his professional record at 12 wins and two losses.

What experience does Cedric Doumbe bring?

Doumbe’s reputation was built in kickboxing, where the former GLORY champion compiled a 75-7-1 record with 45 knockouts. He subsequently won six of his seven professional MMA contests.

His boxing experience is much more limited. Most Valuable Promotions lists his professional record as 1-0, meaning the Paul fight will be his second appearance under those rules.

That distinction is central to the contest. Doumbe brings extensive experience across combat sports, while Paul has fought 14 times as a professional boxer.

Doumbe also faces a lengthy absence from competition. His most recent MMA appearance came in May 2024, when he stopped Jaleel Willis.

When is Jake Paul vs Cedric Doumbe?

Most Valuable Promotions has confirmed an eight-round professional contest at the cruiserweight limit of 200lb, with both fighters wearing 10oz gloves.

Fight detail	Confirmed information
Date	Thursday 24 December 2026
Venue	Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
Format	Eight rounds
Weight limit	Cruiserweight, 200lb
Gloves	10oz

The promotional tour continues with a second press conference in Dubai on Thursday 12 November. General ticket sales open on Sunday 15 November at 8am GMT.

Read our Jake Paul Christmas Eve fight announcement for the background, and check our boxing on TV guide for confirmed UK broadcasts.