Former American football star Le'Veon Bell is back in action for his next boxing match later this month when he faces ex-UFC fighter Uriah Hall on the undercard of Jake Paul vs Anderson Silva.
The running back isn't completely retired from his previous life in the NFL, but has taken a year off to give his full attention to a move into boxing, where he has already appeared once in a strange exhibition with fellow football player Adrian Peterson last month. He knocked out Peterson late in their exhibition bout, but no winner was declared due to the rigid rules in place in California.
Now, he heads into the professional ranks to face the renowned knockout artist Hall, who earlier this year announced his retirement from MMA. It will prove a much more difficult challenge for Bell, who will have to cut down below 200lb to face his rival, who has previously stopped main event winner Silva.
Bell recently appeared on Paul's new sports show BS with Jake Paul and was asked if he would consider a quick turnaround to fight on the October 29 card, to which he publicly agreed. “As soon as Most Valuable Promotions approached me about joining the Paul-Silva pay-per-view, I told them, ‘I want in,’ and didn’t care who the opponent was,” Bell said. “Uriah Hall is going to feel my punching power and tap out like he’s getting submitted. He is not built like me.”
Hall, who infamously left UFC boss Dana White stunned when he knocked out Adam Cella during his season of The Ultimate Fighter, never fully lived up to his fearsome potential in the octagon. But he did land some major wins including scalps over Silva, Gegard Mousasi and Chris Weidman.
“Le’Veon Bell, I hope you bring your best,” said Hall in a warning that will be frightening to anyone who saw his more brutal knockouts at the height of his MMA career, including an eight-second stoppage of Bubba McDaniels during The Ultimate Fighter. “I know I will. Thank you to Most Valuable Promotions for the opportunity.”
Who do you think will win; Uriah Hall or Le'Veon Bell? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Paul expressed his excitement at the fight announcement, saying in a statement: “Adding NFL superstar Le’Veon Bell to the card only increases this fight’s star power and to have him go head-to-head with a fighter as experienced and dangerous as Uriah Hall – it's going to be fireworks.
“Taking on this challenge is proof that Bell, like myself, is serious about professional boxing and after his knockout of Adrian Peterson, he looks like a force to be reckoned with. Hall on the other hand has already proven himself multiple times in the UFC, and we know what he is capable of. I’m keeping a close eye on this one and may even take on the winner in the future.”
His business partner Nakisa Bidarian added: “I’m just as excited to watch Hall vs. Bell as I am for Paul vs. Silva. You have a legitimate top-10 MMA striker versus a world-class athlete who has proven he has true boxing skills and knockout power. This fight elevates our pay-per-view to a new level, and these guys will undoubtedly put on an unforgettable fight for the fans in the stands and those tuning in.”
