Ex-NFL RB Le'Veon Bell to make pro boxing debut against former UFC fighter Uriah Hall

Le'Veon Bell's boxing career will continue when he makes his professional debut later this month.

The former NFL running back will face former UFC fighter Uriah Hall on Oct. 29 in Phoenix as part of the Jake Paul versus Anderson Silva card, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Bell, 30, is coming off a knockout win over fellow ex-NFL running back Adrian Peterson in an exhibition fight in September.

Hall, 38, has only fought mixed martial arts but retired from MMA competition in August after a 17-11 record since 2005. He last fought 32-year-old Brazilian André Muniz in July, a bout he lost by unanimous decision in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hall has never boxed professionally.

Bell first talked about becoming a boxer at the end of the 2021 season before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him. He told reporters in December that he contemplated retirement "to focus on boxing" before getting the call from the Buccaneers. Bell also tweeted twice earlier that month that he wanted to box Jake Paul because he believed Paul hadn't fought an actual fighter yet.

Coincidentally, Bell is now making his debut on the same card Paul is scheduled to fight the 47-year-old Silva, who has three professional boxing wins and 34 MMA wins in his career.

Bell left the NFL world after a couple of poor seasons following his hiatus year in 2018. From 2013-17, Bell rushed for more than 5,000 yards, tallied more than 3,000 receiving yards and scored 51 total touchdowns with the Steelers.

He missed the 2018 season while searching for a new contract before signing with the New York Jets in 2019, but never saw the same success after 17 games in New York. Bell bounced around between the Kansas City Chiefs, the Baltimore Ravens and eventually the Buccaneers for the next two seasons before trying his hand at boxing.

Bell's first bout went well after he knocked out the 37-year-old Peterson at the Social Gloves event in Los Angeles.

After the match Bell said, "I want to see how far I can go. I want to test my limits." Bell will get that chance against Hall, and perhaps birth a new career for himself.