Jake Paul vs Cédric Doumbé Paris Presser!
(November 10th) Christmas Eve, knockout promises—and a career on the line. Jake “El Gallo de Dorado” Paul and Cédric Doumbé kicked off their Dubai showdown with a heated press conference in Paris, trading insults, questioning each other’s skills and promising decisive finishes. “100% retiring if I lose to this guy,” Paul declared. Doumbé’s response to Paul’s technical criticism was just as direct: “We have eight rounds. I only need one punch.” The two outspoken stars meet Christmas eve, Thursday, December 24th at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
MVP’s global boxing superstar Jake Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) and French combat sports icon Cédric Doumbé launched their Christmas Eve showdown with a raucous kickoff press conference in Paris, delivering knockout predictions, personal jabs and a retirement pledge. Paul will face the multi-time kickboxing world champion, whose records stand at 75-7-1 with 45 KOs in kickboxing, 6-1 with six KOs in MMA and 1-0 in boxing—on Thursday, December 24, at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The professionally sanctioned eight-round cruiserweight bout will be contested at 200 pounds with 10-ounce gloves, bringing together two of combat sports’ most recognizable personalities for a major international sports and entertainment event. At the kickoff, both fighters made clear that they expect the contest to end before the final bell.
Facing persistent boos from the partisan Paris crowd, Paul embraced the antagonist’s role. Asked for an update on his jaw, he answered, “Titanium. Stronger than ever.” While acknowledging Doumbé’s championship pedigree, Paul insisted that kickboxing success would not determine the outcome under boxing rules. “The legs will just be used for transportation,” he said. “This is boxing. He’s going to learn a very, very hard lesson.”
Doumbé dismissed Paul’s skills and suggested that making weight—not preparing for his opponent—was his primary challenge. “I’m not training to beat him. I’m training to lose weight,” he said. He portrayed the matchup as an opportunity to collect a payday against an opponent he believes is outmatched, while warning that Paul had underestimated the danger in front of him.
Paul alternated between praising Doumbé as a legitimate threat and calling him “a tuneup fight.” He presented the matchup as a chance to stay active, gain experience and continue pursuing his ambition of becoming a boxing world champion. Doumbé, meanwhile, described it as an opportunity to show American audiences the abilities that have already earned him a passionate following in France. “I talk, I talk, I talk,” he said. “At the end of the day, I back it up.”
The stakes escalated when Paul was asked whether he would retire if he lost. “Yeah, 100% retiring if I lose to this guy,” he replied. He then reaffirmed his championship ambitions: “I’m going to become world champion. I got a long way to go. This guy is just a speed bump in the road to get there.”
Their tactical assessments were equally combative. Paul criticized Doumbé’s looping punches and defensive openings, predicting that his jab would help deliver a third- or fourth-round stoppage. Doumbé reduced the matchup to a simpler equation: “We have eight rounds. I only need one punch.” He suggested he could finish Paul in the second round or extend the fight to demonstrate his boxing ability before securing a later knockout.
Despite the insults, flashes of respect surfaced. Paul said he was training as hard as possible for a dangerous opponent, while Doumbé acknowledged Paul’s dedication to boxing and his role in promoting the sport. The conference ended with a face-off, setting up a Christmas Eve collision between Paul’s boxing ambitions and Doumbé’s determination to expose their limits.
Paul vs. Doumbé tickets will go on sale Sunday, November 15 at 12pm GST/9am CET at LINK. Fans can register for presale access HERE and will have the opportunity to purchase tickets beginning Saturday, November 14 at 12 pm GST/9am CET. Presale for PFL Dubai ticket purchasers will began Friday, November 6 at 12 pm GST/9am CET. Media can apply for credentials to cover Paul vs. Doumbé HERE.
The Christmas Eve matchup marks Paul's first professional fight in Dubai and pits one of boxing's biggest commercial attractions against one of Europe's most accomplished and recognizable combat sports stars. A former two-time GLORY kickboxing world champion and explosive PFL MMA contender, Doumbé brings elite striking credentials, championship experience and devastating knockout power into the boxing ring. The matchup unites two athletes who have built their careers on high-profile performances, outspoken personalities and an ability to command attention well beyond their respective sports.
The event is being brought to Dubai through a cooperation agreement between Most Valuable Promotions, Dubai Sports Council and Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), building on the city's established relationship with PFL and a shared commitment to delivering world-class sporting and entertainment experiences. The partnership reinforces Dubai's position as a leading international destination for major sporting events and represents another significant milestone in MVP's global expansion following its merger with the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
Since making his professional boxing debut in 2020, Paul has become one of the sport's biggest commercial attractions, headlining record-breaking events and drawing massive global audiences. His November 2024 showdown with Mike Tyson drew 125 million Live+1 viewers globally on Netflix, while his December 2025 event against former two-time unified heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua drew 33 million Live+1 viewers worldwide. Throughout his career, Paul has faced high-profile opponents from across boxing and combat sports, earning victories over former MMA superstars Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz before defeating former boxing world champion Julio César Chávez Jr. in June 2025. His matchup with Doumbé adds another accomplished international combat sports star to that list.
Born in Cameroon and raised in France, Cédric Doumbé is one of Europe's most recognizable combat sports stars. A former two-time GLORY welterweight world champion with a 75-7-1 kickboxing record and 45 knockouts, Doumbé transitioned to MMA, recording six knockout victories in his first seven professional bouts. His explosive nine-second knockout of Jordan Zebo in his September 2023 PFL Europe debut in Paris, witnessed by French football superstar Kylian Mbappé and several of his Paris Saint-Germain teammates, cemented his reputation as a devastating knockout artist and major sporting attraction in France. Known for his outspoken personality, showmanship and passionate following, Doumbé now returns to professional boxing to face Paul in a high-profile international showdown uniting two of combat sports' biggest personalities.
Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions, said: “This Christmas Eve, Jake Paul returns to the ring after a year of uncertainty about his jaw and boxing career. Well in typical El Gallo fashion, he’s charging all the way back in and facing a multi-time world kickboxing champion. Cédric Doumbé has been calling to fight Jake Paul for several years and the timing of this matchup makes perfect sense. Both men understand how to command an audience, and both have built careers by delivering when the spotlight is brightest. And nowhere is brighter than Dubai, one of the world's most extraordinary cities, a global destination that has established itself as a leader in sports, entertainment and hospitality. Having spent my teenage years in Dubai, I am very grateful to be bringing an MVP event of this magnitude to the city I fell in love with as a boy. Thank you to Dubai Sports Council and Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism for their leadership and partnership in making this event possible.”
His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council was thrilled to have such a high-profile event at a perfect time in Dubai. “Dubai continues to strengthen its position as the world’s preferred destination for sport, bringing together exceptional athletes, leading promoters and fans from across the globe. Our growing calendar of major international events reflects both the city’s rising stature and thirst in global sport and the confidence organisers place in our ability to deliver outstanding experiences. Welcoming Jake Paul’s return to the ring adds another compelling occasion to that calendar. Through our collaboration with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and Most Valuable Promotions, we look forward to delivering an event that captures global attention and reinforces Dubai’s ambition to shape the future of sport,” His Excellency Belhoul noted.
Dubai has established itself as a premier global destination for major sporting events and live entertainment, attracting world-class athletes, international audiences and fans from around the world. With its iconic skyline, world-renowned hospitality and reputation for hosting major international events, the city provides a fitting stage for Jake Paul's highly anticipated return.
The event builds on PFL's established presence in Dubai and the broader Middle East, where the promotion has staged major MMA events and developed relationships with regional partners. Through its previous events, PFL has helped introduce international audiences to combat sports in the UAE, providing a foundation for MVP to further expand its presence in the market. Paul vs. Doumbé represents a new chapter in that relationship, bringing together one of boxing's biggest global stars and one of PFL's most recognizable international athletes under the MVP banner.
Paul vs. Doumbé is sponsored by FanDuel, Fansly and Event Tickets Center and comes as MVP continues its global expansion following its merger with PFL, bringing together hundreds of elite athletes from around the world under one promotional banner. The combined organization operates across boxing, mixed martial arts, premium live events, athlete development and global media distribution, with a portfolio of leading combat sports properties and partnerships reaching audiences in more than 170 countries. The Christmas Eve event reflects MVP's strategy of creating major international sports and entertainment moments by connecting established global audiences across different combat sports disciplines.
Additional details, including the event’s global distribution and further bouts, will be announced in the coming weeks.
About Jake Paul
The American pride of Puerto Rico, Jake “El Gallo de Dorado” Paul has shown tremendous growth as a boxer on his path to becoming a world champion. In six years since turning pro, Paul has made his impact in the ring, earning high-profile victories over names like Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz. His viral knockouts and headline-grabbing performances have breathed new life into boxing, drawing millions of fans and setting records. In November 2024, Jake Paul defeated the Baddest Man on the Planet, Mike Tyson in a heavyweight bout in the first-ever live professional sporting event on Netflix. Paul vs. Tyson shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event ever with 108 million live viewers globally. In June 2025, Paul faced former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., earning a unanimous decision victory and entering the WBA cruiserweight rankings at #14 with the win. Paul has collected multiple accolades for his commitment to the sport of boxing, including ESPNRingside’s 2021 Knockout of the Year, Sports Illustrated’s 2021 Breakout Boxer of the Year, ESPNRingside’s 2022 Viral Moment of the Year, and was the cover of Sports Illustrated’s “The 50 Most Influential Figures in Sports” issue, awarded specifically for his groundbreaking work to revolutionize the sport through equitable pay, providing a platform for young fighters, and his support of female boxers. Paul also partnered with USA Boxing ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, continuing his mission to elevate the sport and its future champions. He most recently headlined MVP’s blockbuster global event Jake vs. Joshua: Judgment Day in December 2025, earning 33 million Live+1 viewers on Netflix globally.
About Most Valuable Promotions
Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) is a global combat sports and entertainment company built for the next generation of athletes and fans. The company operates across boxing, mixed martial arts, live events, media, content, athlete development, and global distribution, with a fighter-first philosophy centered on equitable compensation, maximum visibility, and long-term brand building.
Led by Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, MVP promotes some of the world's biggest combat sports events and represents a roster of nearly 400 elite athletes, including world champions, titleholders, contenders, and emerging stars. MVP's portfolio includes MVP, MVPW, and MVP MMA, bringing together premier boxing and mixed martial arts properties under one global brand.
Through partnerships with leading media and distribution platforms including Netflix, ESPN, Sky Sports, and an extensive international network reaching fans across more than 170 countries, MVP delivers world-class competition and entertainment to audiences worldwide. By combining elite athletes, premium live events, compelling storytelling, and global media reach, MVP is building the future of combat sports.
About Coca-Cola Arena
Opened in June 2019, Coca-Cola Arena has revolutionized the live entertainment industry in the UAE and throughout the Middle East. With a 17,000-seat capacity and unique automated seating design, the arena is equipped to host a diverse range of events all year round, establishing Dubai as a major destination on the global events circuit.
The award-winning arena is the premier venue for sporting tournaments, international concerts, comedy shows, live theatre, corporate gatherings, exhibitions and conferences, gala dinners and the official home of Dubai Basketball, the city’s first professional sports franchise team competing in European league competitions.
Located in the heart of City Walk, Coca-Cola Arena is just 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport and a 5-minute walk from the nearest Metro station. The Dubai landmark is an asset of the Dubai Holding Entertainment portfolio and is managed by Legends Global, the world’s leading venue management company.
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