Jake Paul Vows to Retire if Cedric Doumbe Beats Him on Christmas Eve
Jake Paul has made a bold promise ahead of his Christmas Eve clash with Cedric Doumbe.
“The Problem Child” has not set foot in the ring since his loss to Anthony Joshua last December, which left him with a broken jaw. However, after getting medically cleared in September, the American has now signed to lock horns with the PFL star in an eight-round bout at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Dec. 24.
Earlier this week, Paul released a video on his YouTube channel, making a promise that puts his boxing career on the line.
Jake Paul Puts His Career on the Line in Fight Announcement Video
As usual, “The Problem Child” did not just announce the fight. He sold it. The video has everything fans would expect, from comedy skits to behind-the-scenes footage that follows his journey from his recovery to his return to training. He also took a few shots at Doumbe to build the hype, but the ending was a bit surprising when he put his boxing career at stake. He said:
“If he wins, I will hang up the gloves and call it a day. But if he loses, the man who calls himself ‘The Best’ just got beat up by a YouTuber with a titanium jaw... This fight is not going the distance, and someone is getting put to sleep in the Middle East, and it’s not Santa.”
Paul also revealed that he thought about quitting after the Joshua loss. He said:
“Honestly, after Joshua, a part of me thought about quitting and never boxing again. He broke my jaw. I have two titanium plates in my mouth. I couldn’t eat for weeks.”
Still, if Paul gets his hand raised, he has no plans to slow down. Even when his health advisor Bryan Johnson asked him to promise there was an end to his career, the 12-2 boxer said there will be one only “when I become world champion.”
Check out Jake Paul’s comments below:
Fans, Fighters Aren't Buying Jake Paul’s Hype Around Cedric Doumbe
Throughout the video, Paul talked up Doumbe as the “biggest fighter in France” and a two-time Glory world champion with 45 knockouts. However, fans and fighters look at it differently and are more focused on the size gap.
Ariel Helwani also shares the same concern. The MMA journalist respects Paul for coming back after a broken jaw and understands why MVP picked Doumbe, a PFL fighter, after merging with the promotion in July. But still, he believes the matchup has “red flags.” He said:
“Jake Paul is way bigger than him, height-wise and size-wise. Cedric Doumbe is a perennial welterweight. That’s 170 pounds. This fight is happening at 200 pounds.”
Furthermore, inactivity is another issue. Doumbe has not fought since May 2024, and Helwani disclosed that his team previously informed him that the 34-year-old was taking a break with his family and had no interest in the fight game.
Former UFC title challenger Darren Till, who claims he was lined up for the bout before Doumbe, called the fight a farce. He said:
“Cedric Doumbe’s at 170 pounds... Jake Paul’s 220, 225 pounds... It’s a farce again.”
The French kickboxer, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be worried. After MVP’s announcement, he vowed to “finish the job Joshua started.”
