Overview
- Appearing at an MVP show in San Juan, Paul said four plates were placed in his jaw and he is struggling with fatigue and sleep, yet he insists he plans more fights this year.
- Paul’s jaw was fractured in two places by Anthony Joshua’s Dec. 19 knockout in Miami, and he underwent surgery the next day to install titanium plates and screws.
- Surgeons told USA TODAY that infection risk drops sharply after roughly 10 days and that swelling and temporary numbness are common during early recovery.
- Experts estimate non-contact training around the six-week mark, advise avoiding major jaw impacts for two to three months, and say full contact depends on imaging and could take three to six months.
- Following the loss, Paul was removed from the WBA cruiserweight top-15 rankings, adding uncertainty to his near-term matchmaking.