Jake Paul, the prominent YouTuber turned professional boxer, has offered an update on his recovery from a severe double broken jaw, signaling a potential return to the boxing ring later this year or in early 2027. The injury occurred in December 2025 during his heavyweight bout against Anthony Joshua, a match where Paul was knocked down four times before ultimately losing via TKO in the sixth round.
Following the significant defeat, Paul immediately underwent surgery to address his broken jaw. This initial procedure involved the insertion of two titanium plates and the removal of several teeth. More recently, “The Problem Child,” now 29, completed a second surgical procedure. Currently, he has not yet received medical clearance even for sparring sessions. Despite this, Paul remains optimistic about his comeback timeline.
“Later this year, [I expect to return]. I got my second surgery recently. So the doctors said like 4, 5, or 6 months to even be able to spar to see how the bone is healing.”
Francis Ngannou Challenges Paul to a Future Bout
In related news, former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, having recently parted ways with the PFL, is gearing up for his MMA comeback on May 16. This event, which will be Netflix’s first live MMA broadcast and Jake Paul’s MVP’s inaugural MMA show, features Ngannou facing Philipe Lins in the co-main event. The card is set to be headlined by a five-round featherweight clash between two pioneers of women’s MMA: Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano.
Interestingly, Ngannou, who had previously expressed disinterest in boxing Jake Paul regardless of the lucrative offers, has now changed his stance. During the press conference for the Rousey vs. Carano event, “The Predator” issued a direct challenge to Paul.
“No. I’m not interested in fighting Jake Paul. I’m interested in beating his a*s… I think you [Jake Paul] were just being a small boy, not understanding, a little disrespectful, and that’s why I want to kick your a*s now. I really didn’t want to fight you, but now I want to beat you.”
Paul swiftly responded to Ngannou’s challenge, affirming his readiness:
“I’m down. I’ve always been down. You were always the option before Anthony Joshua, and you ran like a duck, and I bet you didn’t think I would last longer than you did with Anthony, either. So you just know you worked in boxing, and I would love to see it someday… Let’s do it.”
This heated exchange hints at a potential future showdown between the two high-profile fighters.