The criticism of the Ali Act is that it's been toothless. Attorneys general have not brought violators to trial. It also hasn't fixed a lot of the problems that plague boxing. But the Ali Act was an important start in protecting the fighters from exploitation. Recently, Representatives Brian Jack, a Republican from Georgia, and Sharice Davids, a Democrat from Kansas, introduced legislation that could potentially strip boxers of those hard-earned rights guaranteed by the Ali Act.
"The clear intent is to favor a single promotional entity," said Patrick English, an experienced combat sports lawyer.
"This bill is designed for exactly one party," said longtime boxing lawyer and manager Kurt Emhoff. "It's not there to help the sport."
"I just can't rationalize any reason for this [bill] other than trying to let TKO have a pathway to a potential boxing monopoly," said another experienced combat lawyer, Erik Magraken.
"This bill is designed for exactly one party," said longtime boxing lawyer and manager Kurt Emhoff. "It's not there to help the sport."
"I just can't rationalize any reason for this [bill] other than trying to let TKO have a pathway to a potential boxing monopoly," said another experienced combat lawyer, Erik Magraken.
Proponents of the proposed Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act tout provisions that would set minimum pay at $150 a round and an increase in insurance requirements as positive protections for the fighters. Even these seemingly beneficial clauses are problematic. The minimum pay is essentially moot in the current reality and the insurance premiums increase is negligible. The only result of these additions will be to handcuff small promoters.
The larger issue, however, is this new act would create something called a Unified Boxing Organization (UBO). UBOs wouldn't have to abide by the current regulations enacted in the original Ali Act. "The main story is this punches at the heart of the Ali Act protections," Magraken argued on Emhoff's podcast. "That’s what this bill really does."
To qualify as a UBO, a promotional body must have its own training facility, rehab center, and onsite testing capability. These parameters - though undefined in the bill - describe TKO, the company that runs the UFC, whose boxing wing is called Zuffa Boxing.
A 2014 anti-trust lawsuit against the UFC showed that all fighters combined to make only about 20% of the company's profits. Headlining boxers typically make considerably more than that. UFC fighters would have had no idea of their worth without the lawsuit because the UFC doesn't disclose its revenue for specific events. MMA fighters aren't covered by the 2000 Ali Act.
If this proposed act passes, UBOs, for which Zuffa would quality, wouldn't have to reveal their revenue to the fighters, leaving the athletes in the dark about how much they're worth. It's why UFC fighters are so underpaid. This proposed act also allows UBOs to act as sanctioning bodies, ranking fighters and giving out their own belts. The point seems to be to allow for Zuffa to create a monopoly within American boxing, which would be a terrifying eventuality for fighter pay. But if Zuffa falls short, boxing could see even more trivial world championship belts with more nonsensical rankings.
Of the boxers The Jewish Boxing Blog contacted for comment on this story, only a couple responded, viewing this proposition as negative for themselves and their sport. "It gives too much power to promoters," one fighter said. Brooklyn Barwick summed up the feeling by saying, "That ain't fair, but there's nothing I can do about it."
Boxers don't have a union. The Association of Boxing Commissions put out a statement in support of the new act, but they didn't consult their own Athlete's Voice Committee, a seven member panel of retired fighters started in 2023, before doing so. "A lot of fighters might not be paying attention, Magraken explained. "Five, ten years from now, pro boxing might look very different in the United States. And looking back, the question's going to be, 'Why didn't you do something about it? Why didn't you speak up?'
"There's a very short window for fighters to wake up and pay attention."
Contacting the MMAFA, a union of MMA fighters and their trainers, is one method for boxers to take collective action. Another is to lobby their representatives in Congress. Drawing media attention to the pending loss of protections for fighters who risk their lives for the fans' entertainment, is another tactic.
Magraken summed up the bill succinctly, "Very little of substance is given. A whole lot of substance is being taken away." Only a coordinated and concerted effort by those affected can prevent the impending loss of fighters' rights. Those warriors deserve the support of all those who love the sport of boxing.
