Jake Paul has declared he will retire from professional boxing if he is defeated by MMA fighter Cedric Doumbe on December 24th in Dubai. This announcement comes as Paul prepares for his first fight in a year, following his loss to Anthony Joshua in December of last year, which resulted in a broken jaw requiring surgery.
Paul acknowledged the challenge ahead, describing Doumbe as a dangerous opponent and a two-time world champion who is unafraid. "This is my sport," Paul stated in a social media video, emphasizing the boxing-only nature of the bout and joking about checked safety regulations. He added that if Doumbe wins, Paul will "hang up the gloves and call it a day," but if Doumbe loses, he will have been "beat up by a YouTuber with a titanium jaw."
The 29-year-old American has a professional boxing record of 12 wins and two losses. His previous defeats were against Tommy Fury and Anthony Joshua. Paul had earned a spot in the WBA's cruiserweight rankings after defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in July 2025, but lost this position after his fight with Joshua. He was knocked down twice by Joshua before being stopped in the sixth round.
Cedric Doumbe, a Cameroonian-born French fighter, is a multi-time kickboxing world champion who has transitioned to MMA. He is currently signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), with which Paul's Most Valuable Promotions merged in July. Doumbe has won two of his three PFL fights since joining in 2023. He has only one professional boxing match to his name, which he won in 2015.