Overeem and Manuwa added to Jake Paul's Christmas Eve card

Alistair Overeem will face Britain's Jimi Manuwa in the first professional boxing bout of his career. The six-round heavyweight contest has been planned as a co-main event on the Christmas Eve card in Dubai. In the main event, Jake Paul will step into the ring at cruiserweight against Cedric Doumbe.

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) officially announced the bout. Overeem, known as 'The Demolition Man', will meet Manuwa, who carries the nickname 'Poster Boy'. Overeem is known for winning the Strikeforce heavyweight championship and the K-1 World Grand Prix. He said he has fought the best opponents in the world and has been a world champion in several disciplines. He described Manuwa as a dangerous opponent with a powerful punch.

Manuwa began his MMA career in 2008 and won his first 14 professional fights. When he retired in 2019, his record stood at 17-6, and 15 of his wins had come by knockout or technical knockout. The 46-year-old Manuwa returned to competition in August 2026. In his first bout as a boxer, he beat former UFC heavyweight Chase Sherman by technical knockout in the second round. Manuwa said he had followed Overeem's rise and that he was the one who wanted this fight.

A year ago, Paul broke his jaw in a fight against former two-time unified heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, in which he was stopped in the sixth round. This bout will mark Paul's return to the ring. MVP President Nakisa Bidarian noted that the two fighters have recorded 40 knockouts between them in MMA and that both are well-known names in the world of combat sports.