One year on from the first KO loss of his burgeoning boxing career, Jake Paul is set to return to the ring.
Earlier this week the social media star turned prizefighter announced that he would headline a Most Valuable Promotions fight card in the city of Dubai on Christmas Eve.
One element that was conspicuous in its absence from Paul's post however was the name of his opponent.
Earlier this week Paul's manager and business partner Nakisa Bidarian revealed that multiple names are under consideration for 24 December as the Problem Child looks to get back in the win column.
In taking on Anthony Joshua last year Paul answered the biggest criticism levied at him by his detractors that he only accepts fights in which the odds are someway stacked in his favour.
Now, after multiple jaw surgeries the American has to prove that he still has what it takes to step between the ropes against the kind of opponent that will capture the imagination of the wider public.
As we await the official announcement, we've taken a look at five potential opponents for Jake Paul's return to the ring.
Jake Paul Potential Next Opponent
Darren Till
The leading contender to face Paul in Dubai on 24 December appears to be former UFC title challenger Darren Till.
Since walking away from mixed martial arts in 2022 amid a slew of knee injuries Till has made a successful transition into boxing, first in the influencer sphere and more recently in the bare-knuckle ranks.
Speaking this week Bidarian claimed that talks are ongoing with Till's team, but stopped short of announcing that an agreement had been reached.
As demonstrated throughout his run to the capturing the inaugural Misfits bridgerweight title the Liverpudlian is a talented boxer in his own right, with his range and southpaw left hand proving effective weapons in the squared circle.
While a clash with Till would see Paul arguably reverting to type by fighting a former MMA star, unlike his former opponents Till is a bona fide cruiserweight and remains close to his fighting prime.
As such, a fight with the Gorilla would provide the kind of jeopardy that made Paul's early career so compelling.
Tommy Fury
One name that surprisingly didn't feature in the 'hit list' Paul published on social media earlier this month was that of his long-time rival Tommy Fury.
Fury was the first fighter to defeat Paul following his transition into boxing, getting his hand raised on the judges' scorecards when they met in February of 2023.
The pair have gone back and forth publicly over a potential rematch ever since, with Fury's reported inability to enter the US complicating what would appear to be an obvious fight for both men.
Fury recently took to Instagram to claim that a potential rematch on Christmas Eve ultimately would not materialise as he is already in talks to fight before the end of the year.
However, with less than six weeks until the Misfits Mania card and no opponent for Fury announced as yet, could the stars align for the two biggest names in the crossover sphere to meet once again inside the ring?
Gervonta Davis
While Anthony Joshua ultimately served as Paul's opponent last year, he was originally scheduled to face an entirely different elite-level fighter in the form of then-reigning lightweight world champion Gervonta Davis.
In the weeks leading up to the fight it was established that the pair would meet at a catchweight of 195lbs, a significant jump for 'Tank' who started his professional career as a super featherweight before becoming a two-weight world champion up at 135lbs.
Just two weeks before the event was due to take place the fight was cancelled after Davis was named in a civil lawsuit, with Paul instead pivoting to face Joshua the following month.
More than a year has since passed and Davis is still yet to return to the ring, with a proposed clash with Isaac Cruz not coming to fruition.
Reports from this summer claimed that Davis will be out for much of 2026 amid his ongoing personal issues, potentially opening the door for him to step in and fight Paul on Christmas Eve.
KSI
A long-stated criticism of the boxing world from casual observers in recent years has been the failure of the very biggest fights to be made before those involved are passed their prime.
And while the accusation is most commonly levied at traditional boxing, it would also appear to apply to the influencer scene.
Since they started their respective trajectories in this much-maligned form of the sweet science, it appeared the Jake Paul and KSI were on a collision course that was bound to culminate in the pair meeting inside the ring.
Ultimately though it never materialised, and KSI announced that he was officially retired during a Misfits Boxing event earlier this month.
If there was one opponent that could potentially coax him back into the ring, surely it is getting the opportunity to finally settle the score with his arch rival.
December 24 may come too soon for the grudge match to take place but do not be surprised if the fight eventually occurs down the line.
Nate Diaz
Possibly the most underwhelming opponent on this list nonetheless earns an inclusion as a realistic and winnable fight for Paul.
Of course, Paul first met Nate Diaz inside the ring back in August 2023, earning a comfortable ten round unanimous decision over the iconoclastic MMA star.
The manner in which he beat Diaz didn't leave many fany clamouring for a rematch between the pair but Diaz remains a huge name in the combat sports scene and crucially, unlike many of the other big-name MMA stars, is not currently signed to the UFC.
A former amateur wrestler, Paul has long stated his desire to have an MMA fight and he reiterated his desire for Diaz to be his debut opponent inside the cage earlier this month.
With the American now moving into the world of MMA promotion following MVP's merger with the PFL, we could realistically see Paul and Diaz rematching inside the ring before the year's end before completing their trilogy inside the cage sometime next year.
