On December 19, 2025, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul headlined a Most Valuable Promotions fight card, live on Netflix. The boxing world stopped to tune in and see what AJ had left and if Paul could stand the Brit’s power.
The former two-time unified heavyweight champion appeared tentative in the opening few rounds, missing Paul (12-2, 7 KOs), who appeared content to run for most of the fight. However, that tactic didn’t last successfully as The Problem Child began to tire. Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) scored two knockdowns in round five, and in the sixth, landed a huge right hand, leaving Paul unable to beat the referee’s count. This punch subsequently left Paul with a double broken jaw.
MVP promoted Amanda Serrano vs Reina Tellez on January 3, and Jake Paul spoke to DAZN at the event about his injury, teasing a 2026 comeback.
Jake Paul gives update on broken jaw and potential 2026 comeback
When asked by DAZN about his injury, Paul said:
“Yeah, I’ve got four plates in my jaw, but you know, that’s part of the sport, and the healing process has been a little bit tough. I’m a little bit tired. It’s hard to sleep. I go onto the pillow, and my jaw twerks up to the left, then I wake up.
“It’s all part of the sport, and it was an amazing night. I learnt a lot. Gained a lot of experience, and we’re moving on to more fights this year,” added Paul.
The future for Jake Paul
It remains to be seen what direction Paul will go next. Will he go back to fighting aging MMA fighters? Or will he revisit a huge fight against Canelo? Following the knockout loss to Joshua and the subsequent injury sustained by Paul, some more time out of the ring will clearly be needed. Despite the nature of the defeat and the seriousness of the injury, it appears The Problem Child wants to return in 2026.
