In a heated exchange at the U.S. Senate, Oscar De La Hoya and Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, voiced their strong opposition to the revised Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. This act, backed by Zuffa Boxing and the UFC, has sparked a debate about the future of boxing and the welfare of its fighters. While the bill has already cleared the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, the question remains: can their passionate plea make a difference in the political landscape?
De La Hoya, a former Olympic gold medalist and six-division champion, argued that the new act creates a rigid earning structure where promoters like Zuffa control ticket sales, sponsorships, and discretionary bonuses. He believes that boxing already has strong medical and insurance protections, and questioned why MMA fighters, who are not under the same safeguards, are not included in the bill. De La Hoya's concern is that the bill's true motive is not about fighter health, but rather about restructuring control of boxing.
Nico Ali Walsh, following in his grandfather's footsteps, pointed out that the original Ali Act of 2000 maintained firewalls between promoters, managers, and sanctioning bodies, preventing fighters from being locked into six-year contracts with promotions that rank and distribute their own belts. He argued that Zuffa's push for a new Unified Boxing Organization undermines the principles of the original act, as UFC fighters have made their richest purses by boxing, thanks to leverage and fair market value.
The debate also touched on the issue of transparency. De La Hoya claimed that the new act gives Zuffa too much power to control access to opportunity, and erases the existing act's focus on fairness and transparency. He cited examples of breach of contract lawsuits filed against him by Canelo Alvarez and Vergil Ortiz Jr., and accused Zuffa of prioritizing corporate profits over fighter welfare. De La Hoya also highlighted the UFC's $375 million anti-trust settlement for restricting earnings and opportunity, and questioned the Saudi Arabia ownership stake in Zuffa Boxing, considering the potential collapse of LIV Golf.
In defense of Zuffa's push, WWE President and TKO Group Holdings board member Nick Khan pointed to the decline in boxing's popularity over the past 50 years, and argued that talent follows money. He noted that no UFC fighters have died in over 770 events, while more than 60 boxers have died over the same period. Khan also claimed that ridding boxing of sanctioning bodies like the WBC, which recognizes 163 champions across 18 weight classes and charges high sanctioning fees, gives Zuffa the opportunity to build a better system for boxers.
Despite the passionate plea from De La Hoya and Ali Walsh, the strategy appears to be a fait accompli for Zuffa. However, their defiant voices have officially entered the public record, and their concerns about the welfare of boxers and the future of the sport cannot be ignored. The debate over the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act has raised important questions about the balance between corporate interests and fighter welfare, and the future of boxing may depend on how these issues are addressed.
