Jake Paul has officially cleared his final medical hurdle to return to combat sports, ten months after a devastating knockout left him with a broken jaw. The 29-year-old required extensive surgery and titanium plates following his sixth-round loss to Anthony Joshua last December. Now back in the gym and cleared for full-contact training, his promotional team confirmed he is ready to step back into the ring.
However, Paul does not want a quiet comeback. Instead of taking an easy tune-up fight to test his jaw, he challenged some of the biggest names in sports by adding Conor McGregor and Canelo Alvarez to his official hit list.
Jake Paul Posts 13-Name Wishlist
The YouTuber-turned-boxer took to X to map out his ultimate targets before walking away from the sport. By tagging Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian, Paul listed 13 ideal matchups, mixing active world champion boxers and crossover heavyweights with his traditional internet rivals.
- Canelo Alvarez
- Francis Ngannou
- Conor McGregor (Boxing & MMA)
- Sean Strickland
- Darren Till
- Ryan Garcia
- KSI
- Chris Eubank
- Edgar Berlanga
- Tom Aspinall (Boxing)
- Deontay Wilder
- Nate Diaz (MMA)
- Midget who ruined our fight
The most controversial entry on the wishlist reads “Midget who ruined our fight,” a direct jab at WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis.
The insult traces back to last year, when Paul and Davis were officially locked in to face each other in a highly anticipated Netflix streaming exhibition bout at Miami’s Kaseya Center. Just two weeks before the scheduled Nov. 14, 2025 date, Davis’s ex-girlfriend filed a civil lawsuit against him in Miami-Dade County alleging battery, false imprisonment, and kidnapping.
Due to the severe legal allegations, Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions canceled the entire event on Nov. 3, 2025. Paul was furious over losing a massive payday driven by sponsorships, site fees, and a direct Netflix contract rather than traditional pay-per-view revenue. He then blamed the 5-foot-5 champion for ruining the event.
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Beyond the specific names, Paul made it clear that his ultimate goal is to capture an official world title before he retires. To close out the post, he demanded that his promotional team deliver on these high-profile matchups, adding, “Make it happen @nakisabidarian.”
Paul’s professional record stands at 12-2 following his knockout loss to Anthony Joshua. Interestingly, the new wishlist leaves out Tommy Fury, despite Paul’s management recently stating that a rematch between the two remains a matchup that makes the most sense.
How Realistic Is Jake Paul’s Shortlist After Anthony Joshua Loss?
Fights against Canelo Alvarez and Conor McGregor offer the largest paydays. However, neither matchup would improve Jake Paul’s standing as a boxer.
A bout with McGregor is realistic because of his contract. He has only one fight left on his UFC deal. After that, he will likely move to the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), a promotion he co-owns. A crossover fight with Paul gives McGregor a massive payout before he retires from MMA.
Paul’s promotional team knows this plan is highly unlikely while McGregor remains under his strict UFC contract. Pulling the star away from Dana White’s control is nearly impossible unless the UFC agrees to a co-promotion.
However, Paul has made his retirement plans public. It is now up to the promoters and the fighters he named to see who actually steps forward.
