Jake Paul's Next Fight Announced for Return from Injury After KO Loss to Anthony Joshua

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One year after his knockout loss to two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, Jake Paul will be back in the ring.

Most Valuable Promotions announced on Thursday morning that Paul will make his return on Christmas Eve, headlining a blockbuster event in his first career fight in Dubai. The 29-year-old said he's deciding between "plenty of names" for his next opponent.

"I've spent years proving people wrong, taking risks, and pushing myself against opponents nobody thought I'd face. Nothing that's happened has changed my belief in myself or what I'm working toward. I'm hungrier than ever, and on Thursday, December 24, I'm returning to the ring in Dubai to start the next chapter of my journey," Paul said in a release. "Dubai is a city that thinks big, breaks boundaries, and doesn't believe in limits. That's exactly the kind of place I want to make my comeback. We've got plenty of names on the list; let's see who signs the contract. Merry Christmas, Dubai. Santa Paul is coming to town, and somebody's getting knocked out."

MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian added, "We're finalizing an opponent worthy of Jake's return and look forward to sharing more in the coming weeks."

Paul suffered a broken jaw that required multiple surgeries after his loss to Joshua last December, which marked the first knockout loss of his career.

Months after his fight against Joshua, Paul once said the injury could stop him from ever fighting again, but Bidarian announced earlier this month that the YouTuber was cleared to return. Paul named a long list of potential opponents across boxing and MMA, including Conor McGregor, Canelo Alvarez, Francis Ngannou, Deontay Wilder and Nate Diaz.

Paul has proven long ago to be one of the biggest draws in boxing and a true disruptor in combat sports. Earlier this year, MVP announced a merger with the PFL, creating a new MMA promotion that is expected to launch in 2027.

Paul's return to the ring is sure to draw a large audience later this winter, and fans will be excited to see who he picks as his next opponent.