Jake Paul acknowledged that his return to the ring is not guaranteed as he continues to recover from the jaw injury he sustained in his most recent fight. Speaking on Ariel Helwani’s YouTube show, Paul said he is scheduled for new scans in the coming days that will help determine whether he can resume sparring.
“I’m getting some new scans here in a couple of days of the jaw to get an update on the healing process,” Paul told Helwani. “We’ll see what my doctors say. I think I’ll be able to get a more accurate timeframe or, you know, can I even fight again? That is definitely in the realm of possibilities of things.”
The interview was prompted by a video posted by Paul’s fiancée Jutta Leerdam that showed him working in a ring, fueling speculation about a return roughly five months after his last bout. Paul said he has remained in the gym throughout his recovery but has not been cleared to spar.
“It does feel a lot better as weeks go by and time goes by, but I definitely need to get cleared first to be able to spar,” Paul said. “But I am sort of staying in shape, just always, you know, in the gym pretty much regardless. So just staying in shape and enjoying some mitt work.”
Asked directly by Helwani whether his fighting future was in doubt, Paul confirmed that it was.
“Yeah, no, most definitely,” Paul said. “I think it just depends on how the bone heals. Then also there’s a tooth missing here, like I’m pretty sure I’m gonna have to get an implanted tooth of some sort. I don’t know how much time that’s gonna add, but we just have to see and figure out what the smartest thing is for me.”
Helwani also asked whether Paul had considered stepping away from boxing to focus on other business interests. Paul said the thought had occurred to him but that he intends to continue.
“Those thoughts definitely come up,” Paul said. “But I’m not done. Like, I can just feel it in my spirit and my soul and heart that I have more fights left and unfinished business in my mind. And the injuries are a part of any sport, you know? I think potentially this could be a good outcome, you know? Like you could tear your ACL and be out and keep on tearing it and tearing it again. So it’s just a part of any sport. And I definitely don’t feel like I’m done and want to keep on fighting.”
Paul did not provide a timeline for clearance or for any potential dental procedure. He said the next set of scans will guide the decision.
