Le'Veon Bell is currently a free agent, but he's not training for an NFL comeback. Instead, Bell and fellow ex-NFL RB Adrian Peterson are set to square off in the boxing ring at the end of July in what has the makings of a strange, yet entertaining matchup. Ahead of the clash, Bell made clear that this was not just a publicity stunt for him. Via Ari Meirov, Bell said that he has no plans of playing football in 2022 and is instead focusing entirely on his career in the boxing ring.
“This is not a one-off. This will be an introduction to everyone on what I've been doing,” said Bell.
While neither Bell nor Peterson has ever fought in an official boxing match, it's clear that the former Steeler is taking this bout very seriously. The fight between the two ex-NFL stars has been dubbed the Battle of the Running Backs, and they're fighting under the “main card” featuring YouTubers Austin McGroom and AnEsonGib. Additionally, ex-NBA player Nick Young will fight popular rapper Blueface during the event.
It's unclear if Peterson has any plans of pursuing boxing any further than his bout with Bell, but it's clear that Le'Veon is just getting started. Who knows if he'll change tune if he loses to Peterson in the ring, but he surely seems confident leading up to the event.
Bell was among a number of athletes to challenge Jake Paul to a boxing match when the YouTuber first disrupted the boxing scene. While that fight never materialized, the 30-year-old will get the chance to show the world what he's made of when up against AP.