Johnny Manziel to Make Boxing Debut vs. Bob Menery at UFC Apex, Fight Date, Details Revealed

Former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel is leaving the football field behind and entering the boxing ring.

On Thursday, Brand Risk Promotions announced on Instagram that Manziel will make his boxing debut against Bob Menery on May 23 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The fight will air on YouTube, Kick, Twitch, X and TikTok.

UFC president Dana White will be hosting the event later this month. Per The Athletic's Zach Powell, he previously said that he would bet $10,000 that Menery doesn't show up for the fight.

"Menery hits me up and says, 'Who are you betting on?' I said, 'I'm betting on you don't even show up, that's my bet,'" White said on Instagram in April. "Menery never does anything he says he's going to do. … There's no way 49 percent of people believe in Bob Menery and that he's going to show up."

Manziel won the 2012 Heisman Trophy while starring for Texas A&M, becoming the first freshman ever to win the award. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the 22nd pick in 2014, and he was released less than two years later. He played in 15 career games and threw for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Since leaving the NFL, Manziel has played in the Canadian Football League, the Alliance of American Football and the startup league Fan Controlled Football.

Manziel is the latest former football player to try his hand at boxing, following the likes of former NFL running backs Le'Veon Bell, Frank Gore Sr. and Adrian Peterson.