The much-anticipated fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul finally has a new date. AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas will host the fully-sanctioned professional bout on Nov. 15, when former heavyweight champion Tyson will make his return to the ring after 19 years to take on former YouTube star Paul — a fighter 30 years Tyson‘s junior.
But many fans want to know what Tyson’s plans are after the fight, given the 57-year-old’s recent ulcer flare-up and the intense interest in his bout with Paul. Nothing is finalized, but a former NFL star has submitted his candidacy to be Tyson’s next challenger if Iron Mike decides to continue his unlikely boxing comeback.
Le’Veon Bell challenges Iron Mike
Former All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell was among the NFL‘s best rushers in his prime. A strong and explosive back, Bell played with both Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady (in Tampa Bay) during his eight-year football career. But Bell has found a new calling in the ring and has embarked on a pro boxing career — and his ambition has led him to Tyson.
Bell took to X (formerly Twitter) to ask Tyson to spar with him, even though Bell has just three fights’ worth of experience under his belt. The 32-year-old lost to former MMA star Uriah Hall in his maiden professional bout in 2022 before winning his next two.
Bell rushed for 1,000 yards three times in his NFL career, but he was never quite the same after he held out for the entirety of the 2018 season due to a contract dispute with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He sat out the 2022 season as well in order to begin his boxing career and to adopt lifestyle changes following his physically-demanding stint as an NFL running back.