Jake Paul to box in Dubai on Dec. 24, with Darren Till reported as frontrunner

Jake Paul will box on Thursday, Dec. 24 in Dubai, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced on Thursday, according to ESPN. It is his first fight since Anthony Joshua knocked him out last December. No opponent has been named, but Sherdog reports that former UFC welterweight title challenger Darren Till is a frontrunner.

"All I want for Christmas Eve is boxing in Dubai," Paul wrote in his own post, as reported by ClutchPoints. MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said in the release that the company is "finalizing an opponent worthy of Jake's return." More will follow "in the coming weeks," he said.

The card is backed by agreements with the Dubai Sports Council and Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, The National reports. The arena, broadcaster and undercard haven't been announced.

Till is reported, not signed

MVP has not confirmed Till. Bidarian's own words stop short of it. He told The Sun that "Darren Till is definitely one of the names that Jake put out there on his list," Sherdog reported on Oct. 27. Paul kept it open on Thursday: "We've got plenty of names on the list; let's see who signs the contract."

According to Sky Sports, Bidarian says the shortlist is down to three or four names, with an announcement expected "next week or week after." Sky links Till, Chris Eubank Jr. and Ryan Garcia. It also names Francis Ngannou, whom ESPN reports Bidarian has ruled out as an immediate opponent. A rematch with Tommy Fury is no longer being discussed, Bidarian told ESPN, per ClutchPoints.

Till has been calling for the fight. On Oct. 22 he replied to Bidarian's update on X, telling him to "send the contract," in a profane post reported by MiddleEasy. We haven't seen a response from him to Thursday's news. Sherdog reports that BetOnline has posted early odds: Paul -200, Till +153, which makes Paul about a 63% chance once the margin is removed.

Paul's road back

Joshua stopped Paul in the sixth round on Dec. 19, 2025 in Miami, breaking his jaw in two places. ESPN reports he had surgery that month and a second procedure in February, and was cleared for full-contact training earlier in October. In May, he told Ariel Helwani his career was "most definitely" in doubt, according to Wikipedia.

"Nothing that's happened has changed my belief in myself or what I'm working toward," Paul said in Thursday's statement.

He is 12-2 with seven knockouts. His other loss was a split decision to Fury in February 2023. Against men from MMA he is unbeaten: Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley twice, Anderson Silva, Nate Diaz and Mike Perry.

Till's case

Till, 18-5-1 in MMA, was submitted by Woodley in the second round of their welterweight title fight at UFC 228 in September 2018. He then lost his last three UFC fights, and the UFC released him at his own request in February 2023, per Wikipedia. He closed at +230 against Robert Whittaker, -172 as the favourite against Derek Brunson and +164 against Dricus Du Plessis, and lost all three.

That 0-3 record at closing odds is MMA, though, and says little about a boxing match with Paul. Outside the UFC he has won every time. He is 3-0 in Misfits boxing, including a third-round knockout of Luke Rockhold in August 2025. He is 2-0 in BKFC, most recently a five-round decision over Yoel Romero on Sept. 26 in Manchester.

Till nearly fought on a Paul card before. He was booked against Julio César Chávez Jr. on the July 2024 Paul vs. Tyson card, but that bout was cancelled when the event was postponed. Sherdog reports Till signed a multi-fight BKFC deal in April, and it isn't clear how that affects a Paul fight.

We think naming a date is the strongest sign yet that a deal is close. In comments reported on Oct. 27, Bidarian said that if talks took "another three, four, five weeks," there would be no fight this year. MVP has since set Dec. 24 anyway. But Paul's last opponent was a late change: Joshua was announced on Nov. 17, 2025, after a planned fight with Gervonta Davis was cancelled.