Former NFL running back Le’Veon Bell shocked everyone when he announced that he would be retiring from football to pursue a career in boxing.
Many were skeptical that he would ever go through with this plan, but reports have emerged about his first-ever professional boxing match against some stiff competition with a high level of experience in combat sports.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, Bell will face off against former UFC middleweight Uriah Hall later this month.
The fight will be part of Most Valuable Promotions’ event on October 29th headlined by former UFC legend Anderson Silva facing off against YouTube sensation Jake Paul.
Le’Veon Bell is set to make his pro boxing debut against MMA star and former UFC fighter Uriah Hall as part of Most Valuable Promotions’ Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva event on SHOWTIME PPV on Sat., Oct. 29 in Phoenix. Bell is coming off an exhibition knockout vs. Adrian Peterson. pic.twitter.com/c6TPD7tH5K
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 6, 2022
Bell is coming off his first exhibition matchup against another former NFL running back in Adrian Peterson, where he was able to get a fifth-round knockout over Peterson.
Considering neither Peterson nor Bell had any experience boxing before this fight just one month ago, many believe Bell is making a huge mistake by stepping in to face a fighter as credentialed as Uriah Hall.
Ummm….Uriah Hall is NOT Adrian Peterson. https://t.co/Ng28qOxnMI
— Dan Edwards (@ImDanEdwards) October 6, 2022
against Uriah. Hall.
this is dangerous https://t.co/KC2e31DBZt
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) October 6, 2022
This feels like a bad idea on Le'Veon's part… https://t.co/rHlxbXijuL
— 'Nata Edwards (@NataTheScribe) October 6, 2022
https://t.co/LZnV6xeRyL pic.twitter.com/vHFxosOFqY
— Ben Kiely (@TheJivemaster) October 6, 2022
A nice reminder to teach your kids to play a position other than RB. It can shorten careers. https://t.co/8E8ZF2jip2
— John Canton (TJRWrestling) (@johnreport) October 6, 2022
Uriah once did this to a man 🥹 https://t.co/laPS5M5XmF pic.twitter.com/ABG71eIQ2s
— King Dev (@KDMajor_) October 6, 2022
Hall recently announced his retirement from MMA back in August, but it appears this opportunity against an inexperienced opponent like Bell in a different sport was enticing for him.
While Hall is not all that well-versed in boxing, his experience in the UFC as primarily a striker makes for a huge threat to Bell in this matchup.
It can certainly be argued that this matchup shouldn’t even have been sanctioned considering the huge disparity in combat sports experience.
Regardless, we will certainly see Le’Veon Bell face a far stiffer test later this month than what he previously faced in Adrian Peterson.
