Le'Veon Bell loses every round in pro boxing debut against ex-UFC fighter Uriah Hall
Le'Veon Bell's professional boxing debut went about as well as the final few years of Le'Veon Bell's NFL career.
The former Pittsburgh Steelers running back lost by unanimous decision in his first fight as a pro against former UFC fighter Uriah Hall on Saturday, as part of the undercard for Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva. Each judge scored the four-round bout 40-36 for Hall, meaning Bell unanimously lost every round he was in the ring.
.@UriahHallMMA picks up the UD win over Bell in his first pro boxing fight 🥊#HallBell | Order #PaulSilva now: https://t.co/hm8UTDacri pic.twitter.com/GXb2vSvgNz
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) October 30, 2022
Bell had been entering the professional ranks after defeating fellow NFL running back Adrian Peterson in an exhibition match last month. The performance had hardly been impressive, but Bell caught Peterson with a hard right in the fifth and final round for a KO, then said he wanted to commit to boxing full-time.
The result was a fight against Hall 49 days later. The 38-year-old retired from mixed martial arts in August with a career 17-11 record, spending most of his career as a middleweight with the UFC. He was responsible for a majority of the power punches landed, though Bell got in some shots of his own.
.@UriahHallMMA hit Bell with the combo 👀#HallBell | Order #PaulSilva now: https://t.co/hm8UTDacri pic.twitter.com/phWYXFztLZ
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) October 30, 2022
Uriah Hall and Le'Veon Bell are swinging for the fences to end the 4th and final round. #PaulSilva pic.twitter.com/bVMDNF9IXj
— FITE (@FiteTV) October 30, 2022
Unfortunately for Bell, it's never a good sign when a fight announcer has to apologize for bursting out laughing after hearing you compared yourself to undefeated welterweight Boots Ennis.
Bell was undeterred, though, and pledged to continue boxing on Twitter after the fight.
I didn’t get the W, but I worked so hard to make it here … def not the last time you’ll see me in the ring, I just gotta get better … in my first pro fight, I fought a legit monster! much respect to Uriah Hall .. great warrior, it was an honor to share the ring with him tonight
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) October 30, 2022
Bell entered boxing after a nine-year NFL career spent mostly with the Steelers, then with the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That career ended with only 101 rushing yards (2.6 yards per carry) in his final season, leading to him giving boxing a try in 2022.
