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Paul will ‘hang up gloves’ if he loses to Doumbe
Jake Paul says he will retire from boxing if he loses to MMA fighter Cedric Doumbe in Dubai on 24 December. The bout marks Paul’s return after a year away and a serious jaw injury, making the result a potential turning point in his boxing career.
The professionally sanctioned cruiserweight contest is scheduled for eight rounds, with 10oz gloves. Paul, 29, has won 12 of his 14 professional fights; his defeats were against Tommy Fury and Anthony Joshua, who stopped him in the sixth round last December and broke his jaw. Doumbe, a 34-year-old kickboxing world champion turned MMA fighter, has won two of three PFL bouts but has only one professional boxing match, which he won in 2015.
In short
- Paul says he will retire if Doumbe beats him.
- The eight-round bout is set for 24 December in Dubai.
- Paul returns after Joshua broke his jaw last year.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Retiring if he loses could be a sensible boundary after a serious jaw injury, especially if Paul no longer wants to accept the risks of boxing or feels he has reached the limit of what he wants from the sport. A clear condition also gives the fight personal stakes and lets him make an honest decision about his future based on the result.
The case against
A single bout may be a poor measure of whether Paul should continue: Doumbe is an accomplished combat-sports athlete, but has little professional boxing experience, and the outcome could turn on many factors. Paul could instead assess his health, motivation and prospects over time, rather than letting one defeat dictate the end of his boxing career.
Explained simply
Jake Paul is an American boxer and online personality who began competing professionally in 2020. His fights have attracted attention partly because he has faced both fellow entertainers and established combat-sports athletes.
Cedric Doumbe is a French kickboxing world champion who later moved into mixed martial arts. He has much more experience in kickboxing and MMA than in professional boxing, where he has fought once.
The contest is scheduled for eight rounds at cruiserweight, a division defined by fighters’ weight. It is a significant test for Paul as he returns after a year away and a broken jaw; his professional record includes defeats by Tommy Fury and Anthony Joshua.