Trouble in paradise?
It has been nearly five months since YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul suffered the most brutal loss of his combat sports career, getting violently knocked out by former Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua at Judgement Day on Dec. 19, 2025, inside Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida (watch highlights).
The knockout didn’t just hand Paul a loss — it may have permanently altered his future in boxing.
During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show this week to promote MVP MMA 1, Paul revealed
there is a legitimate possibility he may never fight again due to complications stemming from the jaw injuries he suffered against Joshua.
“Yeah, so I’m getting some new scans of my jaw in a couple of days to get an update on the healing process,” Paul said. “We’ll see what my doctor says to get a more accurate timeframe or can I even fight again — that’s definitely in the realm of possibility of things.
“It does feel a lot better as weeks and time goes by but I definitely need to get cleared first to be able to spar,” Paul continued. “You know I’m sort of staying in shape and enjoying some mitt work.”
Paul suffered a double jaw fracture during the sixth-round stoppage loss and required immediate surgery the following day. He later underwent a second corrective procedure in February and has already stated he likely won’t return until sometime in 2027 — if at all.
And according to Paul, his doctor isn’t exactly eager to see him back in the ring.
“We have to figure out the smartest thing for me,” Paul explained. “My doctor definitely doesn’t want me to fight.”
If Paul does eventually return, he says he won’t continue fighting at Heavyweight after bulking up for his recent bouts — though that statement gets a little murky considering he’s still openly interested in a showdown with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.
For now, though, “El Gallo” is simply hoping he can fight again at all.
