Le’Veon Bell is a man of many talents.
The former All-Pro running back, who played alongside NFL legends like Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady, has since carved out a career in professional boxing and now wants to face one of the hardest hitters in heavyweight history.
Taking to X, the ex Steelers and Chiefs star called out Mike Tyson demanding to spar with him at some point in the future.
“SPAR ME MIKE,” Bell tweeted, quoting a video of Iron Mike from June 8.
“Different date, same fate,” Tyson says in the video. “I’m gonna knock out Jake Paul.”
If Bell is serious about facing Tyson he’ll have to wait until the former ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ is done with YouTube-turned-boxer Paul.
The pair were originally scheduled to face off on 20 July inside the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium.
But the professionally sanctioned contest, which is being broadcast exclusively on Netflix, had to be postponed to 15 November after 57-year-old Tyson was forced to pull out because of medical advice after a recent ulcer flare up.
Bell is about 26 years Tyson’s junior and only has three fights to Tyson’s 56.
32-year-old Bell is only three years removed from pro football but does have a 4-1 record as a boxer (3-1 as a professional).
He also has history with Tyson’s next opponent, tweeting a challenge to Jake Paul in 2021 accusing him of fighting “small dudes who can’t box.”
Bell’s first contest inside the ring came in September 2022 against fellow NFL veteran Adrian Peterson.
Bell defeated Peterson in a fifth-round technical knockout after knocking Peterson down and Peterson being unable to continue.
His next bout was a huge step up in competition, facing off against a former UFC star who shocked UFC CEO Dana White with one of the ‘nastiest’ KO’s in the promotion’s history.
Uriah Hall’s KO of Adam Cella in season 17 of the The Ultimate Fighter in 2013 was as brutal as it gets.
Hall landed a devastating spinning heel kick that immediately knocked Cella out in the first round of the contest.
Cella remained on the canvas for some time before regaining consciousness with plenty of concern for the fighter before he received a round of applause when he got up.
White said at the time: “One of the nastiest knockouts I’ve ever seen in the fight business, let alone on the Ultimate Fighter.”
Hall, who has a professional MMA record of 28-11, fought Bell in boxing in October 2022.
The bout took place on the Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva undercard and marked Bell’s first foray into professional boxing.
Bell suffered a unanimous decision loss with Hall winning 40-36 on all three judges’ scorecards.
Bell bounced back with a unanimous decision win over British YouTuber JMX in March 2023.
In April this year, the three-time Pro Bowler beat Canadian influencer Tristan Hamm.
Now, the question will be whether the 32-year-old gets his wish of sparring with Tyson.
Bell was drafted by Pittsburgh with the 48th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
He ran for over 800 yards in his rookie season and broke out in Year 2, totaling over 2,200 combined yards and making the Pro Bowl.
Bell made his third Pro Bowl in 2017 before sitting out the entire 2018 campaign after refusing to sign the franchise tag placed on him by the Steelers.
He played for the Jets in 2019 and signed with Kansas City in 2020 to play alongside Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
A short stint with the Ravens alongside Lamar Jackson soon followed.
He ended his career with Brady’s Buccaneers in 2021.
News Summary:
- I was Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady’s teammate who fought UFC star with ‘nastiest’ KO Dana White’s ever seen – now I want Mike Tyson
- Check all news and articles from the latest Boxing updates.