It has been nearly three months since Jake Paul suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on December 19, 2025. The fight, held at Judgement Day in the Kayesa Center, Miami, Florida, ended with Paul being knocked out in the sixth round and sustaining a severe double jaw fracture.
Paul recently revealed that his recovery required a second surgery, delaying his return to the ring.
Second Surgery and Recovery Timeline
“I got my second surgery recently, and the doctor said it will be four, five or six months to even be able to spar to see how the bone is healing,” Paul said during the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano press conference. “So that puts us maybe late this year or early next year for a fight.”
The initial surgery was performed immediately after the fight, followed by the corrective procedure in February to ensure proper alignment and healing.
“Anthony Joshua’s punches were definitely way more than people at my weight‼️”
Jake Paul says he’s going down to cruiserweight and wants to level up his ranking there!
We also asked Jake Paul if he plans to rematch Tommy Fury and he says that team is difficult to work with! pic.twitter.com/XlYjCcRJKW
— BOXING n BBQ (@BOXINGnBBQ) March 10, 2026
Jake Paul says the Dr said he can’t even spar for 6 months after his 2nd jaw surgery‼️
He may be back late this year or early next year. pic.twitter.com/HsqUfRNmgg
— BOXING n BBQ (@BOXINGnBBQ) March 11, 2026
Cruiserweight Focus Moving Forward
Moving forward, Paul says he is stepping away from heavyweight competition and plans to focus on cruiserweight, where he feels he can compete more naturally.
“Definitely will be a cruiserweight,” Paul explained. “Joshua’s punches hurt way more than people in my weight class. That’s where I’m best at, for sure, and where I want to continue to climb in the rankings and make some statements.”
While Paul has previously floated the idea of a high-profile bout with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, he emphasized that his immediate priority is full recovery and returning safely to the ring.
For now, fans can expect Jake Paul to spend the rest of 2026 rehabbing his jaw and preparing for his comeback at a more suitable weight class.
