Le’Veon Bell still respectful of Uriah Hall’s power despite UFC star making boxing debut: “He’s still a special fighter”

Former NFL running back Le’Veon Bell knows that he’s got a fight on his hands against Uriah Hall.

The former Pro Bowler has had stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets, among others. After finishing out the 2021 NFL season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bell decided to focus on a new path. That path has led him to the boxing ring.

The former running back has trained off and on in the discipline for years. However, this year he’s decided to put his full focus on becoming a boxer. His first task was an exhibition with fellow NFL alumni Adrian Peterson in September.

Le’Veon Bell passed that test with flying colors, winning by fifth-round knockout. Now, the former NFL player is set to face former UFC middleweight contender Uriah Hall. ‘Prime Time’ will be making his boxing debut, but he’s no stranger to throwing punches.

While some might feel an advantage knowing their opponent has never had a boxing match, Bell is different. During a face-to-face interview with Hall and Ariel Helwani, the former NFL player gave his respect and admitted this was the tough, but right fight to make.

Image via @uriahhall on Instagram

“He’s still a special fighter [without the kicks]” stated Bell in the face-to-face with Hall. “Obviously, no kicking [laughs]. You know what I’m saying? If we were doing kicking and stuff I wouldn’t even challenge this dude in that part. But, it is all hands, and you know it’s newer to me. It’s something I’ve been working on, you know, obviously over my career a little bit.”

He continued, “I had one fight, so I thought fighting an actual fighter, someone with tons of experience [next]. Definitely share the ring with him, and test my skills.”

The matchup between the former running back and MMA fighter goes down on the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva this Saturday. For his part, ‘The Problem Child’ has teased a clash with the winner of Bell vs. Hall.

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