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Senate hearing spotlights split over ‘Ali Revival’ bill as promoters and fighters clash on UBO model
Summary
Witnesses at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing disagreed sharply over the House-passed Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act: proponents said creating an optional unified boxing organization (UBO) could raise pay and standardize safety; opponents warned it would centralize control and strip fighters of existing transparency and bargaining protections.
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation heard competing views on the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act, a House-passed bill that would allow promoter-created unified boxing organizations (UBOs) to operate alongside the existing industry structure.
Chairman Ted Cruz opened the hearing by invoking boxing’s long history and said he plans to introduce a Senate version of the Revival Act. ‘‘We have an opportunity to reflect on the specific ways the federal framework may be doing more harm than good,’’ he told the panel and witnesses.
Promoter Oscar De La Hoya, testifying for Golden Boy Promotions, said the bill’s principal change — permitting a promoter to run a UBO that combines promotion, matchmaking and rankings — would ‘‘put corporate profits first, fighters second.’’ De La Hoya argued the Ali Act’s separation of promotion and marketplace oversight protects fighters from conflicts of interest and that a UBO model would remove transparency and leverage that current law guarantees.
Tim Shipman, executive director of the Florida Athletic Commission and president of the Association of Boxing Commissioners, described the state regulator perspective. He said Florida already enforces robust ringside and post‑bout medical protocols and estimated states would need roughly 3–6 months and clear federal guidance to align rules, licensing and oversight with any new national standards the legislation would create.
Nico Ali Walsh, a professional boxer and grandson of Muhammad Ali, said the current Ali Act provided concrete protections he has relied on — for example, financial disclosures and drug‑testing enforcement after an opponent’s positive test — and warned that the Revival Act’s UBO option would erode fighters’ bargaining power and choice.
Nick Khan, president of WWE and a TKO Group Holdings board member, defended the UBO proposal as an additional option that could unlock media platforms, sponsorships and ‘‘league‑style’’ investment. Khan cited provisions in the House bill that he said would protect fighters: a $200 per‑round minimum, mandatory injury insurance (he cited $50,000 per bout), a six‑year cap on promotional contracts and standardized medical checks including annual brain imaging.
Senators pressed witnesses on several points. Committee members noted the industry’s fragmentation — multiple sanctioning bodies and competing champions in the same weight class — and asked whether a UBO would reduce confusion or create a new concentration of power. De La Hoya and Walsh warned of monopoly risks and cited the UFC’s legal and pay disputes as cautionary examples; Khan and Shipman argued UBOs would be optional and could bring more consistent protections and revenue for fighters.
The parties also disputed transparency under modern media deals. Khan said public, quarterly disclosures for publicly traded companies provide accountability, but De La Hoya and Walsh said the current Ali Act’s per‑event financial disclosures give fighters critical negotiating information that multi‑event streaming deals do not easily map to a single fight’s pay. Shipman said commissions typically do not negotiate sponsorships and left contractual sponsor arrangements to fighters, managers and promoters.
The hearing identified areas of agreement and continuing difference. Witnesses across the panel expressed support for strengthening medical and safety protocols, while sharply disagreeing on whether those protections should be accompanied by legislative authorization for UBOs. Chairman Cruz invited stakeholders to submit suggestions and said senators would have until April 29 to submit questions for the record; the panel adjourned after setting May 13 as the deadline for witness responses.
No committee votes were recorded at the hearing. The proceeding focused on fact‑finding and stakeholder testimony ahead of potential Senate markup.
The hearing transcript and the witnesses’ testimony indicate the Senate bill under consideration will likely be revised in response to concerns about implementation, transparency and competitive effects before any formal floor action.
