April 24, 2026
Muhammad Ali’s grandson and former boxer Oscar De La Hoya are the main critics in opposition to a controversial new invoice named after the late boxing legend.
Muhammad Ali’s grandson and Oscar De La Hoya joined forces to handle the U.S. Senate over a controversial new invoice bearing the boxing legend’s identify.
Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of Muhammad Ali, joined boxing champion turned boxing promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, at a U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee listening to in Washington on April 22 to oppose the bipartisan Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act, Yahoo Sports activities experiences. The listening to comes one month after the invoice, backed by TKO Group Holdings, the dad or mum of UFC and WWE, handed the Home by voice vote and is anticipated to be launched within the Senate by Sen. Ted Cruz.
De La Hoya and Walsh have been main critics of the invoice, warning it may give TKO Group Holdings monopolistic management of boxing by way of the proposed Unified Boxing Organizations. They argue that UBOs would blur the road between promoters and sanctioning our bodies, permitting a single entity to regulate rankings, titles, and occasions—just like TKO’s mannequin within the UFC.
“The Ali Act was constructed on a easy precept. The folks controlling fighters mustn’t additionally management all the market these fighters rely on,” Walsh stated. “The separation exists to stop conflicts of curiosity and exploitation. The brand new Muhammad Ali Boxing Revival Act would undermine that precept by permitting one entity to function throughout promotion, administration, and matchmaking. It removes independence.”
Walsh additionally objected to the invoice bearing his late grandfather’s identify, arguing that it represents values that Muhammad Ali strongly opposed.
“If this invoice is handed in its present type, it mustn’t have my grandfather’s identify on it, as it might betray the ideas his Act was created to guard,” Walsh stated.
UFC fighters are broadly believed to earn round 20% or much less of occasion income, whereas boxers typically take a a lot bigger share. They’re additionally required to put on standardized gear, limiting sponsorship alternatives. Walsh argued that boxing’s freedom to safe sponsors and categorical individuality by way of apparel creates further revenue streams exterior the ring.
De La Hoya and Walsh additionally pushed again in opposition to WWW President Nick Khan, who argued the invoice would convey extra money into boxing. They countered by citing the Final Preventing Championship’s excessive revenue margins and fighters’ well-documented dissatisfaction with its mannequin.
“The UFC and its dad or mum firm agreed to a $375 million anti-trust settlement after fighters accused them of suppressing wages and proscribing competitors,” De La Hoya stated.
“Boxing isn’t damaged. If it had been, UFC champions — on the top of their careers — wouldn’t be actively concentrating on boxing fights due to the truthful pay,” Walsh added. “That motion is never seen in reverse as a result of UFC’s centralized pay construction. Boxing has by no means been good, however one among its strengths has at all times been competitors. A number of promoters competing for fighters creates leverage and truthful market worth. When that competitors is consolidated to 1 system, that leverage disappears.”
Khan argued the invoice would increase alternative, permitting boxers sad with the UBO mannequin to stay with the present system. However Walsh warned that if one entity controls entry, that “alternative turns into theoretical,” with long-term penalties for fighters’ alternatives.
De La Hoya warned that the proposed UBO system may cut up the game and restrict cross-promotional matchups, stopping fighters from competing exterior their group. He argued this is able to create division, with some fighters staying within the present system and others transferring to TKO Group Holdings or Zuffa, in the end decreasing top-tier fights between the very best opponents.
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