Jake Paul has confirmed his next boxing opponent, with the influencer-turned-fighter set to face French kickboxer Cédric Doumbé on December 24 in Dubai, according to POST Wrestling and 411Mania. The bout marks Paul’s return to the ring after a year-long layoff from boxing competition.
The matchup was arranged through Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), Paul’s own promotional outfit, which had announced the previous week that Paul would have a Christmas Eve fight before confirming Doumbé as the opponent, per 411Mania’s report.
Doumbé enters the matchup from a kickboxing background, a discipline distinct from Paul’s primary boxing focus, though the specifics of the contest’s rules and weight class have not been detailed in the available reporting. Paul has built his combat sports career largely around high-profile crossover matchups, often pitting himself against opponents from other fighting disciplines or retired athletes, and the Doumbé fight continues that pattern by bringing in a striker from the kickboxing world rather than a traditional boxing opponent.
The choice of Dubai as a host location places the event outside the United States, where many of Paul’s previous fights have taken place, reflecting a broader trend of combat sports promotions seeking venues in the Middle East for marquee bouts. Neither source detailed the broadcast arrangements or ticketing information for the December 24 card.
Paul’s return comes after an extended absence from the boxing ring, and the Christmas Eve date places the fight in a notably different slot on the calendar compared to many of his previous bouts, which have often been scheduled around other points in the year. The holiday timing could be aimed at capturing a large television or streaming audience during a period when major sports programming is traditionally lighter.
Further details regarding the full fight card, any undercard matchups, or broadcast partners for the Dubai event have not yet been confirmed in the available reporting. As the December 24 date approaches, additional information about the promotion of the Paul-Doumbé bout is expected to emerge from MVP and its partners.
