TKO Group Seeks to Amend the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act to Boost Boxing
The TKO Group, owner of UFC and WWE, has requested modifications to the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, a federal law designed to protect boxers from exploitation. This request was made known through a memorandum sent to state regulators, published on the Combat Sports Law website.
The request arises at a time when TKO seeks to establish a new boxing promoter. Although specific details about the requested modifications have not yet been revealed and speculation abounds about their impact on the sport, a UFC spokesperson stated that the amendment seeks to “improve” the Ali Act and offer boxers “more opportunities”.
“TKO is having preliminary conversations with members of Congress about how we can collaborate to expand the Ali Act and create more options and opportunities for boxers,” said the UFC spokesperson. “We believe that the improvements we are discussing could help inspire a resurgence of boxing in the United States, provide American boxers with access to greater opportunities and better protections, and lead to more boxing events in our country.”
UFC Spokesperson
In March, TKO announced a partnership with Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, to form a new boxing promoter.
The Ali Act, enacted in 2000, amended the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996, expanding legislation against exploitation, conflicts of interest, and law enforcement. Its main objective is to prevent promoters from using predatory and anti-competitive practices against athletes, fostering a free and open market.
This move contrasts with recent accusations against UFC, which settled a $375 million antitrust lawsuit filed by fighters, who alleged anticompetitive business practices to suppress wages and stifle rival promoters.
In the memo, the president of the Association of Boxing Commissions, Mike Mazzulli, communicated to regulators that his “board of directors is working with [TKO] to ensure that the ABC remains part of federal law.”
A schedule for the implementation of these amendments has not yet been established, nor is the launch date of TKO’s boxing promoter known.
