Jake Paul trains with snake around heavy bag ahead of boxing return
Key takeaways
- A viral clip shows Jake Paul punching a heavy bag with a large snake wrapped around it.
- He is medically cleared to box again after a broken jaw and two surgeries.
- He posted a 14-fighter "hit list" on X, topped by Canelo Alvarez, Francis Ngannou, and Conor McGregor.
Jake Paul is trending because of a wild training video. The clip shows him punching a heavy bag with a large snake wrapped around it. He is preparing for a boxing comeback after a long layoff with a broken jaw.
What happened
Happy Punch shared the video on X on October 11, 2026. It shows Paul with gloves on, working a heavy bag. A second camera angle changes the picture.
A large snake hangs on the bag. The reptile stayed wrapped around it and stayed calm. Paul picked his punches with care instead of throwing wild shots.
A person behind the camera had never seen it before. "I've never seen anybody hit a punching bag with a snake on it," he said. The clip went viral fast.
Some fans called it animal abuse and tagged PETA in their posts. ClutchPoints reported the backlash on October 12. Neither PETA nor Paul had commented on the video at that time.
Paul has not boxed since December 2025. Anthony Joshua knocked him out in the sixth round on December 19 in Miami. The fight was a Netflix superfight.
The knockout broke Paul's jaw in two places. He had surgery in December and a second one in February. His professional record stands at 12 wins and 2 losses.
Four days before the video, Paul posted a 14-line "hit list" on X. It went up at 7:10 PM CT on October 7. The list named 12 fighters.
They were Canelo Alvarez, Francis Ngannou, Conor McGregor, Sean Strickland, Darren Till, and Ryan Garcia. It also named KSI, Chris Eubank Jr, and Edgar Berlanga. The list went on with Tom Aspinall, Deontay Wilder, and Nate Diaz.
McGregor was marked for boxing and MMA. Aspinall was marked for boxing only. Diaz was marked for MMA.
One more line was an insult aimed at Gervonta Davis. It read "midget who ruined our fight." The last line said "World Title.
" Paul tagged MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian and wrote "Make it happen." The post drew nearly 1.5 million impressions by Thursday afternoon.
The next day, Bidarian gave fans the news they wanted. "Jake Paul has been cleared to return to the boxing ring." He wrote that on X on October 8. Paul followed with his own post.
"Everyone wants the highlight reel," he wrote. "Nobody wants the broken jaw and two surgeries.
You don't get one without risking the other. "
Then came the KSI drama. On Saturday, KSI's Misfits Boxing event played to a tiny crowd. The venue was the Copper Box in London.
KSI announced his retirement from boxing on stage. He shouted an expletive at Paul three times.
Paul reposted the clip on Instagram. His caption read, "And the crowd goes mild."
The two have feuded for years. It started in 2018, when KSI called out Jake and his brother Logan Paul. KSI beat Logan in their 2019 rematch by split decision.
He faced off with Jake in the ring once. But they never agreed terms for a fight. That fight looks dead now.
Why it matters
The medical clearance is the real story here. A jaw broken in two places is a bad injury. Two surgeries is a long road back.
Paul is 29. A return after more than a year out will test his chin and his confidence.
The hit list shows how big he still thinks. Canelo sits at the top. But nothing suggests talks are active.
In July, Ariel Helwani asked Canelo about a Paul fight late in his career. His answer was short: "Not anymore.
" Canelo has a fight set for October 31 in Riyadh. He faces Christian Mbilli for the WBC super middleweight title.
Some names look more real than others. UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland wants the fight. He has been in a public pay dispute with the UFC.
Paul told him on X to have his promoter call MVP. Strickland answered that "putting hands on you sounds way better than the UFC right now.
" But Strickland is still under UFC contract. No talks or fight deal have been announced.
Francis Ngannou may be the most realistic pick. He fights under Paul's own MVP banner. He knocked out Philipe Lins in May.
Bidarian has named Ngannou as a possible return opponent. Chris Eubank Jr also replied to the list. "Could be fun," he wrote.
Two names are missing from the list. Anthony Joshua and Tommy Fury are the only men to beat Paul as a pro.
Asked by a fan about Fury, Paul said Fury "missed his opportunity." A rematch with either man would sell. But neither is on the whiteboard.
It has been a loud week across sports. Football fans got the Bills-Rams Monday night thriller.
Baseball fans watched the Dodgers edge the Brewers 2-1 in NLCS Game 1. And soccer fans followed Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.
What happens next
No opponent or date has been announced yet. Bidarian said a December or January return could be on the cards.
Paul is targeting an early 2027 comeback. If he waits until then, his layoff will stretch past a full year.
Expect MVP to pick the first opponent with care. A tune-up makes sense after two jaw surgeries.
Jumping straight into a dangerous fight would be a gamble. Ngannou, Strickland, or a safer name are the ones to watch.
Paul also has plans beyond boxing. MVP has merged with the PFL. Paul is targeting an MMA debut in 2027. That gives him two comebacks to sell in one year.
The snake video put Paul back in the spotlight. The real test is who steps into the ring with him next. That answer should not take long to arrive.
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