New Law Seeks to Revitalize Boxing in the United States
A bipartisan bill, focused on modernizing federal regulations of professional boxing, has been introduced to the United States Congress. U.S. Representatives Brian Jack, Republican from Georgia, and Sharice Davids, Democrat from Kansas, are the driving forces behind this legislation, called the “Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act.” The proposal seeks to update the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 and allow the creation of Unified Boxing Organizations (UBOs) as an alternative to the current sanctioning bodies. The proposed UBO system would establish a national minimum compensation of $150 per bout for professional boxers, in addition to stricter minimums in health insurance and anti-doping programs. Currently, the minimums in these areas are non-existent or are determined by each state.Boxing is the only professional sport regulated by Congress. If the law is approved, it would mark the first major update to the federal law on the sport since the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act of 2000. Jack is a lifelong boxing fan, while Davids is a former professional mixed martial artist. The initiative is backed by the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) and Lonnie Ali, wife of the late Muhammad Ali. It would not replace the current system of sanctioning bodies, but would introduce a new system with the possibility of multiple UBOs joining the industry. One of these UBOs could be Zuffa Boxing. In March, Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, announced the creation of a new boxing company in partnership with TKO Group Holdings, which owns UFC and WWE. The company is led by UFC CEO Dana White and will organize its first major event with Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford in September. We thank Representative Jack and Representative Davids for their vision in leading this bipartisan effort to bring innovation to the sport of boxing for the first time in 25 years. This is a thoughtful solution that preserves the original Ali Act of 2000, while providing boxers with access to more options and opportunities, greater health and safety protections, and better compensation for promising fighters. We are proud to support the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act along with the remarkable Lonnie Ali and the Association of Boxing Commissions in the effort to help restore boxing to its place of prominence in the United States. The legislation will likely be referred to the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, as were its predecessors from 1996 and 2000, and to an eventual vote in the House of Representatives. If approved, it would be sent to the United States Senate.For me, boxing is dying in the United States. Every metric would confirm it, it’s in constant decline. Pay-per-view numbers have decreased, HBO and Showtime have abandoned the sport. ESPN’s deal with Top Rank Promotions expires in August. The ambiguity of current regulations has stifled investments in the United States and we are proposing a bipartisan solution.
Representative Jack
