Jake Paul Is Cleared to Box Again — His Hit List Has One Big Problem
GOATIFYJake Paul has been cleared to return to boxing, according to his promotional partner Nakisa Bidarian. That is a meaningful milestone after the broken jaw and lengthy recovery that followed Paul's knockout defeat to Anthony Joshua in December 2025. It is not the same thing as a signed comeback fight: there is still no confirmed opponent, venue or date.
Paul has made sure the conversation will not wait for a contract. His new 14-line wish list ranges from Canelo Alvarez and Ryan Garcia to Francis Ngannou, Conor McGregor and UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland. Some names would create enormous attention; others would require complicated contractual, weight-class and competitive compromises. The most revealing development may be the exchange with Strickland, whose frustration over UFC pay has created an opening that is more complicated than a social-media challenge makes it sound.
Clearance ends the medical wait, not the matchmaking questions
Jake Paul's last bout ended with a sixth-round knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in Miami on December 19, 2025. His jaw was broken in two places. Surgery followed, with another procedure required in February. Nearly ten months later, promoter Nakisa Bidarian says Paul has been cleared to return to the boxing ring. That is important progress, but medical clearance is not a signed fight contract.
The distinction matters after a serious injury. Being able to resume competition does not tell fans how Paul will handle a full camp, extended sparring or the pressure of another high-profile opponent. There is no confirmed comeback date, weight limit or venue. An early-2027 fight would mean more than a year away from competitive boxing.
Paul has previously built events around recognizable opponents from boxing and mixed martial arts. That strategy delivered mainstream attention and lucrative fights, but Joshua represented a different kind of heavyweight threat. A careful return would let Paul test his timing, movement and conditioning against an opponent selected for sporting reasons. An immediate blockbuster would maximize attention while potentially increasing risk.
Those are different objectives. The injury does not automatically mean Paul should avoid elite opposition forever; it does mean the first matchmaking decision deserves scrutiny. The most useful next announcement will be an actual opponent and date rather than another challenge posted online. Until then, the clearance is a welcome milestone and the beginning of a new preparation phase, not proof that he is ready for every name on his list.
Archival 2021 photograph: MMG, CC BY 3.0.
Canelo tops the list, but fame and feasibility are different things
Paul's list mixes established boxers, crossover personalities and combat-sports champions. Canelo Alvarez, Ryan Garcia, Chris Eubank Jr., Edgar Berlanga and Deontay Wilder appear alongside Conor McGregor, Francis Ngannou, Sean Strickland and Tom Aspinall. KSI and Nate Diaz bring existing crossover storylines. A world-title ambition closes the list. These are desired opponents, not confirmed negotiations.
Canelo is the headline name, but he has his own immediate assignment. Alvarez is scheduled to face Christian Mbilli for the WBC super-middleweight title in Riyadh on October 31. A fight with Paul would require agreement on weight, timing, money and competitive terms, none of which has been announced. Canelo's place at the top of a wish list should not be mistaken for his agreement to participate.
Garcia and Eubank are established professional boxers whose natural weights, existing commitments and preparation needs would shape any negotiation. Wilder would bring genuine heavyweight knockout power, which makes him a risky first opponent after the Joshua loss. Aspinall raises similarly difficult questions about size and rules, even if he were willing to box. Each matchup presents a different sporting problem that cannot be solved by social-media engagement alone.
McGregor has his own recovery and contractual complications. KSI has discussed stepping away from boxing. Diaz is named for MMA rather than a conventional boxing rematch. The list works as a statement of ambition and a way to restart conversation around Paul. It does not work as a schedule. Fans should judge the eventual comeback by the opponent who actually signs, the agreed rules and whether the contest makes competitive sense.
Archival December 2025 Canelo Alvarez photograph: Wiknown77, CC0.
Strickland's pay dispute creates a headline, not a free-agent fight
Sean Strickland is the most vocal potential opponent on Paul's list. The UFC middleweight champion has complained about fighter compensation and suggested that boxing could become attractive once he is no longer tied to his existing contract. Paul replied publicly by asking whether Strickland was out of contract and directing his representatives toward Most Valuable Promotions.
The exchange has obvious promotional appeal: two outspoken fighters, a pay dispute and a potential crossover contest that could attract audiences from both sports. It also has a major obstacle. Strickland cannot necessarily accept an outside boxing bout while he remains bound by UFC obligations. Contractual approval, any exclusivity provisions and the timing of his championship responsibilities would all matter. Neither man has announced a signed agreement.
Strickland's sporting style would be interesting under boxing rules. His pressure, jab and work rate have made him a difficult MMA opponent. But professional boxing removes kicks, grappling and the smaller gloves familiar from his regular sport. Paul has invested years in dedicated boxing preparation, while Strickland brings elite combat-sports conditioning and a relentless rhythm. It would be a genuine rules-adjustment problem for both fighters rather than an automatic win for either side.
The financial question may be decisive. Strickland has used the possibility of boxing to highlight dissatisfaction with MMA pay, while Paul's promotion has a history of selling recognizable personalities in high-profile events. A fight could be commercially appealing if the contract problem were resolved. For now, the correct sequence remains contractual freedom or approval, negotiated terms and then a formal bout announcement. The social-media conversation is a public challenge, not a date fans can put on their calendars.
Archival Sean Strickland photograph from 2022: MMAnytt, CC BY 3.0.
Ngannou may be a business fit — but the first fight back still needs a plan
Francis Ngannou is one of the more intriguing names because his profile already extends into heavyweight boxing. He has the star power to sell a major event, and his promotional relationships may make discussions more straightforward than negotiations with fighters under restrictive rival contracts. Those advantages do not make him an easy assignment for somebody returning from a broken jaw.
Ngannou's size and punching power are central to the competitive question. Paul has already learned against Joshua how quickly a heavyweight mismatch can end. If Ngannou were seriously considered, the teams would need to settle weight, rounds, preparation time and the sporting rationale. The biggest possible fight and the most sensible first fight back are not necessarily the same.
Other names could offer different kinds of flexibility. Darren Till has experience across combat sports and has remained visible in crossover boxing discussions. A Diaz rematch has a built-in audience, but Paul's latest list specifies MMA for that target. A genuine world-title opportunity would require a credible competitive path through rankings, sanctioning-body requirements and suitable professional opposition. Simply listing a belt among future ambitions does not confer title eligibility.
The next meaningful update should contain a specific opponent, weight limit, rules, date and broadcaster. Those details will reveal whether Paul's team is prioritizing a controlled re-entry, an immediate spectacle or a longer climb toward established boxing competition. Medical clearance has restored the option to compete, and the hit list has restored public attention. The actual test begins when one name becomes a contract and Paul must prepare for the person across the ring rather than the conversation around him.
Archival Francis Ngannou photograph from 2023: Mike Tyson, CC BY 3.0.
Paul's return is no longer only a question of healing. It is now a question of judgment. His wish list gives fans plenty to debate, from a Canelo fantasy fight to a combustible Strickland crossover, but none is a confirmed booking. The Joshua defeat and subsequent surgeries make the risk of the next opponent unusually important.
There is a compelling comeback story available if Paul demonstrates that his timing, conditioning and decision-making have survived the layoff. There is also an easy way to turn a medical green light into another risky mismatch. The next signed bout will tell us which story his team intends to write.
