Former UFC fighters Alistair Overeem and Jimi Manuwa will square off in a boxing match on the Jake Paul-Cedric Doumbe undercard Dec. 24 in Dubai, Most Valuable Promotions announced Thursday.
It will be a six-round heavyweight bout.
Overeem, a former UFC heavyweight title challenger, will be making his professional boxing debut. The 46-year-old Dutchman hasn't competed in combat sports since October 2022, when he faced Badr Hari in a GLORY Kickboxing bout. He originally beat Hari by decision, but it was later overturned to a no-contest after Overeem failed a drug test.
Overeem's final UFC bout was a TKO loss to Alexander Volkov in February 2021.
Overeem was a decorated kickboxer before joining the UFC. He won the 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix.
Manuwa made his pro boxing debut in August, defeating fellow UFC veteran Chase Sherman by second-round TKO. The 46-year-old Englishman was a top light heavyweight contender in the Octagon, beating the likes of Jan Blachowicz, Corey Anderson, and Ovince Saint Preux. He retired from MMA in 2019 after four consecutive losses.
Paul, the YouTube star turned prizefighter, is returning to the boxing ring for the first time in a year to face Doumbe, a former kickboxing champion and PFL fighter, in the main event on Christmas Eve.
