NFL icon and future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson has signed a contract to fight in a celebrity boxing match against Joe “Baby Joe” Castaneda, reported by TMZ. The deal was signed on Wednesday. The fight date will be announced in the coming weeks.
Last month, TMZ also reported that Adrian Peterson was involved in a fight with Castaneda during a poker game at JokerStars, a social club in Houston. Petereson discussed the incident with TMZ. He explained there was a disagreement with Castaneda over the result of a poker hand and “one thing led to another.”
“Me and the guy, we’re cool,” Peterson told TMZ.com. “We’ve known each other. It was literally like a brother situation. We agreed to disagree, we had our words, and we threw blows — and that was it. I felt really bad,” Peterson added. “It’s a situation where I kind of regret it.”
Castaneda also inked his contract before Peterson. Despite there being “no bad blood” between the two men, a sanctioned fight is now set. Celebrity Boxing founder Damon Feldman said in a video message that he’s getting to work on the details immediately. That is good news for Adrian Peterson, who is desperately trying to eliminate a reported $12 million debt, according to ESPN.
GettyAdrian Peterson signs deal to fight in celebrity boxing match against “Baby Joe” Castaneda.
How Did Peterson Get Into $12M Debt?
Adrian Peterson was ordered by a Houston judge to turn over numerous assets toward paying an estimated $12 million debt. Reuters reported that Peterson took out a $5.2 million loan back in 2016 to fund a business venture. A judge later ruled that interest and legal fees drove the balance up to $8.3 million by 2021, which has continued to increase until today.
Peterson also has a long history of extravagant spending and poor financial decisions. Heavy Sports can’t confirm the exact dollar figure that he owes, but Peterson playing poker and signing up for celebrity boxing means he will take the opportunities in front of him to cut down the debt.
Related: Ex-Vikings Star Adrian Peterson Faces Massive Debt Seizure: Report
Previously, Adrian Peterson participated in a celebrity boxing match against Le’Veon Bell in 2022. Bell knocked Peterson out in the fifth round, but he still took home $15,000 for a loss. If nothing else, the upcoming fight with Baby Joe offers him a chance to get a similar pay day, and maybe even a win this time.
GettyAdrian Peterson is fifth all-time in total rushing yards in NFL history.
Adrian Peterson to Enter NFL Hall of Fame in 2027
Glen Edwards, who won two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s, eventually sold one of his rings for $20. During an interview, he said that the NFL “Gets you. They trade you, and then they get rid of you for good.” It’s hard not to see the pattern in Adrian Peterson. One of the greatest running backs to ever play the game, but bad investments have made his life difficult.
Adrian Peterson is a future NFL Hall of Famer. His eligibility begins in 2027, five years after his final game in the NFL. It’s a formality that Peterson will be a first-ballot inductee when that day comes. He won’t be the last NFL legend to struggle with financial issues. The NFL Hall of Fame is full of inductees with a history of bad behavior and far worse than anything Peterson has done.
For those who want to know more about the celebrity boxing match between Adrian Peterson and “Baby Joe” Castaneda, stay tuned for further updates.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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