After years of fighting for yards in the NFL, former running back Le’Veon Bell is scheduled to make his professional boxing debut against ex-UFC fighter Uriah Hall on the Jake Paul-Anderson Silva undercard on October 29. 

Bell, a two-time first-team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl selection who ran for 6,554 yards in 96 games over an eight-year NFL career, will enter the four-round bout in Glendale, Arizona after recording a knockout of fellow former NFL running back Adrian Peterson in the fifth round of an exhibition on September 10. 

"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," the 30-year-old 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, 38, spent nine years in the UFC before announcing his retirement from mixed martial arts in August after his second straight loss. This will also be his professional boxing debut. 

Hall finished with a 17-11 record in MMA, and his eight knockouts/technical knockouts matched Anderson Silva and Thiago Silva for the most in UFC middleweight history. 

"Le'Veon Bell, I hope you bring your best," Hall said. "I know I will." 

Former NFL stars Adrian Peterson and Le'Veon Bell made their boxing debuts on Saturday night, as the two running backs faced off in Los Angeles.

Bell secured a knockout in the final round with a strong right hand on Peterson, though no winner was declared due to the contest being an exhibition bout.

Having both left the NFL earlier this year, released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks respectively, the pair have turned their hand to boxing.

While Bell's triumph will not be recorded, the 30-year-old spoke of his pride at the result and made it clear this is only the start of his journey in the ring.

"I had a great performance, I put in a lot of hard work. All the hate that just motivates me, it was a badge of honour on my shoulder and I use it to be the best I can be," he said.

"It's a lot different, in football it's team orientated, don't get me wrong I have my team in my corner but when I'm in the ring it's just me and my opponent whereas in football I've got 10 other guys helping me. I'm so proud of myself because I worked so hard to come this far.

"I envisioned this happening and for it come true, I'm not surprised, but I'm just so happy. Boxing is one of the biggest challenges I've ever had to pick up. 

"It's about how far you want to go, you have something inside you that says you need to keep going further and that's what boxing brings out of me, this is the perfect sport, I want to see how far I can go, I want to test my limits. 

"I've put my hard work and passion into this and if I put my heart into this I know I can be the best at it."

Adrian Peterson and Le'Veon Bell will swap the pads and helmets for gloves and shorts after agreeing to meet in an exhibition boxing match later this month.

The veteran running backs are due to face off in the squared circle at Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on July 30.

Bell, a three-time Pro Bowler, made the announcement on social media.

"[And] it's official nothing else needs to be said, let's gooo," Bell, 30, posted on Twitter, accompanied with a poster promoting the bout.

Peterson is not officially retired from the NFL but made just four appearances for the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks in the 2021 season.

The 37-year-old became a star name during a 10-year stint with the Minnesota Vikings and was named MVP in 2012 - a campaign where he became the seventh player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

Peterson ranks fifth on the NFL's career rushing yards list with 14,918 and is a seven-time Pro Bowler.

Like Peterson, Bell has not officially hung up the cleats but has struggled to find a permanent home since leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018. Last season, he made eight appearances for the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

ESPN reported the fight will take place on the undercard of Social Gloves 2, an event promoted by YouTube star Austin McBroom.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are poised to sign running back Le'Veon Bell after an injury to regular starter Leonard Fournette.

Fournette sustained a hamstring injury in the Super Bowl champions' surprise 9-0 loss to divisional rivals the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

He is expected to be placed on injured reserve and miss the rest of the regular season but should return in time for the playoffs.

Per reports from NFL.com and ESPN, the Bucs – who have a 10-4 record – will now turn to Bell, who will support Ronald Jones in filling the void left by Fournette.

Bell has been without a team since being released by the Baltimore Ravens last month and will sign pending a physical examination, which will take place on Wednesday.

The two-time first-team All-Pro played in just five games for the Ravens this season, rushing for 83 yards and two touchdowns.

He is best known for a successful five-year spell with the Pittsburgh Steelers to start his career.

After taking a year out of the NFL amid a contract dispute with the Steelers, he went on to join the New York Jets and also spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020.

The man he is replacing, Fournette, sits in a tie for ninth in the NFL with eight rushing touchdowns in 2021, while his 812 yards on the ground put him 11th.

Fournette is also yet to fumble in 171 attempts this season.

The Bucs will look to bounce back from their loss to the Saints with another divisional game as they play on the road against the Carolina Panthers on Boxing Day.

Tom Brady's team remain three games clear of the Saints atop the NFC South in their ongoing bid to repeat as Super Bowl winners.

Le'Veon Bell is in line to make his Baltimore Ravens debut in Week 4 of the NFL season after being activated from the practice squad.

Bell – a multi-time All-Pro and Pro-Bowl running back – joined the Ravens on September 7 and is set to play for Baltimore for the first time when they face the unbeaten Denver Broncos on Sunday.

If Bell does matchup against the Broncos, it would be his first game since appearing for the Kansas City Chiefs in their Divisional Round clash with the Cleveland Browns last season.

Bell had two carries for six yards in a Kansas City win, while he was also active for Super Bowl LV but did not play as Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers reigned supreme.

The former Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets RB tallied 64 carries for 254 yards and two scores, as well as 13 receptions for 99 yards, in nine regular-season appearances for the Chiefs.

Baltimore (2-1) defeated the Detroit Lions 19-17 last week behind Justin Tucker's record-setting, 66-yard field goal as time expired.

Tucker is a perfect 21-for-21 in his career when kicking to tie the game or take the lead in the last minute of the fourth quarter or in overtime – six of his last seven such kicks have come from over 45 yards.

Baltimore and Denver (3-0) have split their 12 meetings all-time, but the home team is 10-2 in this series.

The Ravens' lone road win against the Broncos came in Week 3 of 2001 (20-13), which happened to be Hall-of-Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe's only career game played in Denver as an opposing player.

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