A bipartisan bill has been introduced to the US Congress aiming to modernize federal regulations governing professional boxing. Representatives Brian Jack, a Republican from Georgia, and Sharis David, a Democrat from Kansas, unveiled the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act on Wednesday. This legislation proposes several updates to the existing Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996, including the establishment of a unified Boxing Organization (UBO) to serve as an alternative to the current sanctioning bodies in boxing.
The UBO plan sets a national minimum purse of $150 per round for professional fighters, along with enhanced health insurance requirements and an anti-doping program. Presently, these standards either do not exist or are left to individual states to determine. Senator Jack expressed concerns to ESPN about boxing’s decline in the U.S., citing falling pay-per-view numbers and the end of major television deals, including those with HBO and Showtime. He views these developments as contributing to the sport’s dwindling presence in America.
Boxing uniquely falls under congressional oversight among professional sports, making this bill a significant effort to update federal sports law for the first time since the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act of 2000. Jack, a devoted boxing enthusiast, and David, a former professional mixed martial artist, have garnered support from the Boxing Committee Association and Muhammad Ali’s widow. Instead of eliminating existing sanctioning bodies, the bill allows multiple UBOs to operate within the sport.
One such UBO is Zuffa Boxing, announced in March by Turki Al-Sik, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, in partnership with TKO Group Holdings, which owns UFC and WWE. Led by UFC CEO Dana White, Zuffa Boxing plans its inaugural major event in September, featuring a headline bout between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford.
TKO’s spokesperson acknowledged the lawmakers’ bipartisan effort as a much-needed innovation in boxing, promising improved options, better health and safety protections, and fairer pay for fighters, while maintaining the foundational principles of the 2000 Ali Act.
The bill may be assigned to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for review before a full House vote, continuing a legislative path followed by prior boxing laws in 1996 and 2000. If approved, it will then move to the US Senate for further consideration.
Fan Take: This move could be a game-changer for boxing fans, as it aims to revitalize a sport struggling with declining viewership and outdated regulations. By introducing standardized protections and new organizational bodies, this act could help secure boxing’s future and bring more exciting, well-regulated fights to fans nationwide.
