Jake Paul is plotting a return to the ring, just about a year after he was knocked out by Anthony Joshua. Needless to say, this is a surprising move, as Paul walked away from that boxing bout with a broken jaw. But, apparently, he's all healed up and ready to take on a new opponent. What's more is that the fighter has a very unexpected date in mind for his next fight.
"El Gallo" is plotting a Christmas Eve fight, and on top of that, it's set to take place in Dubai. As of this writing, no opponent has been announced, but if all goes to plan, we should know the identity of that competitor as the coming weeks of the 2026 TV schedule pass. As wild as it is for Paul to plot this kind of comeback around the holidays, I actually think it's kind of genius.
Why Jake Paul Plotting A Return Around Christmas Is A Great Idea
When I think of my own family gatherings around the holidays, sports on television are often a constant. It's the easy kind of programming to gather around when family hasn't gotten together in a while, especially on Christmas Eve. (Let's be real, watching the best Christmas movies for the umpteenth time can get old.)
Sports on Christmas Day have been a tradition for a while now, with both the NFL and NBA embracing the idea in full. So it only makes sense that combat sports is trying to get a piece of the pie, and trying to give us something extra to watch. While there's no word on where Paul's fight will air, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were to be available with a Netflix subscription.
Will Paul Pick Another Big Opponent, Or Play It Safe?
I'm excited to see Jake Paul back in the ring, but I'm more excited to eventually find out who he may take on. A year ago, the Anthony Joshua fight proved Paul wasn't prepared to take on legitimate contenders vying for a title shot, but have things changed? I wouldn't expect him and Joshua to have a rematch, as he and Tyson Fury are fighting a couple of weeks before this bout.
What I wouldn't want to see is something similar to the Mike Tyson fight. I'm not completely against the idea of Jake Paul taking on an older fighter, but I'm not for seeing him beat up on someone past their prime. If he can find a legend who still has enough in the tank to stand and bang with him, I'd be more receptive to that.
Ultimately, I just want to see a good fight. I've seen Jake Paul win, and I've seen him lose. Now, I want to see a fight where he's taking on a legitimate challenge, but not someone so overwhelmingly out of his league that it's a beatdown the other way. In short, I want to see a normal boxing match, but is that what Paul is planning?
We can only wait and see, and keep an eye out for who ends up squaring off against Paul on Christmas Eve. If a fight with a legend is on the way, I can't imagine who he can get that would top Mike Tyson, but by this point, I've learned to stop counting out the Paul brothers.
