Jake Paul Says He'll Retire If Doumbe Wins

Jake Paul said he would walk away from professional boxing if Cedric Doumbe defeats him in their December 24 cruiserweight clash at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

The social media star and Doumbe, a former two-time Glory kickboxing world champion, traded knockout predictions at Tuesday's press conference in Paris, per Sherdog. When asked if he would hang up the gloves following a potential loss, Paul made his position clear. "100% retiring if I lose to this guy. Sure, like 100%. For sure. For sure, for sure," he said.

Paul Dismisses Doumbe's Kickboxing Pedigree

Paul dismissed the Frenchman's striking credentials as irrelevant to the eight-round bout contested at 200 pounds. "Kickboxing will not help him, people. On Dec. 24, the legs will just be used for transportation. This is boxing," Paul told reporters. He called Doumbe a tune-up fight despite acknowledging his opponent's knockout power and championship résumé.

Doumbe, who carries a 75-7-1 kickboxing record with 45 knockouts and a 6-1 MMA mark with six finishes, fired back by questioning Paul's standing in the sport. "This guy is a joke. He's a very great YouTuber, but he's not a fighter," Doumbe said, adding that his preparation focused more on making the cruiserweight limit than studying Paul's style.

Paul predicted a third- or fourth-round stoppage and reiterated his goal of capturing a world title within two to three years. Doumbe offered his own timeline, saying he would finish Paul in the second round or stretch the bout to the seventh or eighth before landing the knockout.

The fight marks Paul's first professional appearance in Dubai and his return following a 12-2 record with seven knockouts. Doumbe enters with one professional boxing bout on his ledger.

Photo by Antonio Araujo on Unsplash

Original reporting:

• sherdog.com — Jake Paul says he'll retire from boxing if Cedric Doumbe beats him