Jake Paul says his boxing career could be in serious doubt following the severe jaw injuries he suffered during his heavyweight defeat to Anthony Joshua in December.
The 29-year-old underwent surgery after Joshua broke his jaw in two places during their bout in Miami, with Paul requiring two titanium plates and dental treatment after losing several teeth.
The fight at the Kaseya Center was stopped in the sixth round after Paul failed to beat the count following multiple knockdowns from the former two-time world heavyweight champion.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Paul admitted there is uncertainty over whether he will ever return to professional boxing.
“I’m getting some new scans in a couple of days to get an update on the healing process,” Paul said.
“We’ll see what the doctors say. I think I’ll get a more accurate timeframe — or whether I can even fight again. That is definitely in the realm of possibility.”
Paul Awaiting Medical Clearance Before Any Return
Paul explained that while the injury has improved gradually, he is still unable to spar and remains dependent on medical advice before making decisions about his future.
“It does feel a lot better as weeks go by, but I definitely need to get cleared to be able to spar,” he added.
“I’m staying in shape and enjoying some mitt work. I’m always in the gym regardless.”
The defeat to Joshua also saw Paul drop out of the World Boxing Association’s cruiserweight rankings. Before facing Joshua, Paul had mainly fought former mixed martial artists and ageing boxing veterans since turning professional in 2020.
Earlier this month, his business partner at Most Valuable Promotions, Nakisa Bidarian, said Paul had been targeting a move back down to the cruiserweight division.
However, Paul says the final decision will depend entirely on how his jaw heals over the coming months.
“The bone healing is the biggest thing,” he said.
“There’s also a tooth missing and I’ll probably need some sort of implant. We just have to figure out what the smartest thing is for me.”
Discussion about this post