Jake Paul has attached a career-ending consequence to his upcoming boxing showdown with Cedric Doumbe, declaring that he will walk away from the sport if the PFL star defeats him on Christmas Eve.
Paul announced the eight-round cruiserweight bout against Doumbe for December 24 at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. The YouTuber-turned-boxer doubled down on the stakes in a video released Tuesday, making it clear that his return could also mark the end of his boxing career.
The 29-year-old is determined to rebound from his devastating knockout loss to Anthony Joshua, but he faces a dangerous opponent with an elite striking background.
Jake Paul Makes Retirement Promise Ahead Of Cedric Doumbe Fight
The YouTuber-turned-boxer acknowledged the threat posed by Doumbe, a former two-time GLORY kickboxing champion who has built a reputation as one of the most explosive strikers in combat sports. The Frenchman has also gone 6-1 in MMA, including a nine-second knockout under the PFL banner.
Despite recognizing the challenge, Paul insisted that boxing remains his domain and predicted a decisive finish.
If he wins, I will hang up the gloves and call it a day,” Paul said. “So Cedric Doumbe, I, Jake Joseph Paul, will knock you out, embarrass you and defeat you on Christmas Eve. This fight is not going the distance and someone is getting put to sleep in the Middle East and it’s not Santa.
“The Problem Child” also took a swipe at Doumbe’s self-proclaimed status as “The Best,” claiming the kickboxing standout would be embarrassed by a YouTuber. He further suggested the contest would not reach the final bell.
Paul’s upcoming fight will be his first appearance in the ring since facing Joshua in December 2025. The former heavyweight champion stopped Paul in the sixth round, handing him the second defeat of his professional boxing career and leaving him with a fractured jaw.
The injury required surgery and forced Paul into a lengthy recovery. He revealed that two titanium plates were inserted into his jaw and that the experience briefly made him question whether he wanted to continue boxing.
Honestly, after Joshua, part of me thought about quitting, never boxing again,” Paul said. “He broke my jaw. I have two titanium plates in my mouth. I couldn’t eat for weeks. I couldn’t even talk or smile at my bank statements.
“The Problem Child” ultimately dismissed the possibility of retirement following the Joshua setback, reaffirming his desire to keep competing.
The Ohio native’s professional record currently stands at 12-2, with seven knockouts. His other defeat came against Tommy Fury in February 2023. Before the Joshua loss, Paul had assembled a notable run of victories over several former MMA stars and established combat sports names, including Mike Tyson, Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley, and Mike Perry.
