During the prime of their careers, Adrian Peterson and Le'Veon Bell used to battle each other for star supremacy for the title of the NFL’s best running back.
The veteran ball carriers will now look to prove who’s better in a boxing ring when they square off in an exhibition match.
Peterson and Bell will have signed a contract to fight in five, two-minute rounds, a source informed of the deal told BoxingScene.com on Monday.
The plan is to use 12-ounce gloves for the showcase, which will take place July 30 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The matchup will be one of the marquee attractions providing chief support to the pay-per-view featuring Austin McBroom and AnEsonGib, who are set to fight in a six-round professional bout.
Former NBA star Nick Young is also scheduled to fight rapper Blueface in what will likely be an exhibition match as well.
Peterson, 37, and Bell, 30, were once bona-fide stars and fantasy football darlings who are now in the twilight of their NFL careers bouncing around teams.
Peterson is a former NFL MVP and four-time All-Pro who currently ranks as the NFL’s fifth all-time leading rusher with 14,918 yards. He’s also scored 126 total touchdowns.
Peterson played four games and accumulated 38 carries for 98 yards and two touchdowns playing for the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks in 2021. Nicknamed "All Day" for his bruising running style, Peterson is best known for his Hall of Fame-bound credentials while playing for the Minnesota Vikings from 2007 to 2016.
Bell has been training on and off for a boxing showcase dating back to last year, when he played a total of eight games and had 38 carries for the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Bell is a two-time All-Pro dual-threat running back who has totaled 9,843 yards and 51 touchdowns total rushing and receiving over 96 games since entering the league in 2013.
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, via email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or on www.ManoukAkopyan.com.