Jake Paul is targeting a return to the boxing ring before the end of 2026, with his long-teased move to MMA now pointed at 2027.
Paul has been out of action since suffering a broken jaw in his December 2025 loss to Anthony Joshua. Speaking to SportsCenter, he addressed the timeline for both his boxing comeback and his eventual cage debut.
I’ve been trying to make it happen for a long time, and it’s really just come down to negotiations behind the scenes,” Paul said. “I’m going to come back hopefully later this year into boxing and then looking to do MMA in 2027.
No Formal MMA Training Yet
Paul said he has yet to begin dedicated MMA training despite years of speculation about a crossover, pointing instead to a wrestling background from high school.
That’s the funny part is I’ve never even done a single day of MMA training,” Paul said. “I have a wrestling background, I grew up doing Division 1 Ohio wrestling in high school, but I’ve never actually said, ‘Hey, today we’re training MMA.’ I’m going to have to split up the boxing, the kickboxing, the kicks, the jiu-jitsu and the wrestling all into different training sessions, and I’ve never done that before.
Paul also addressed his broader ambitions in combat sports, saying he still views himself as early in his development as a fighter.
There’s still a long list of opponents out there that I want to fight, massive names,” Paul said. “I’m 29 years old, have only been in the sport for six years, but most people have been doing it their whole entire lives. And so there’s still a long way for me to go on the path to world champion.
Paul first signed with the PFL for an eventual MMA debut in January 2023, a move that has been repeatedly pushed back as he stayed focused on boxing.
