De La Hoya warns Senate boxing overhaul favors billionaires

Oscar De La Hoya warned a US Senate hearing Wednesday that proposed changes to the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act would concentrate power in corporate hands, arguing the overhaul favors investors over fighters as lawmakers debate whether to allow centralized boxing organizations.

"This is a fundamental shift in power that would put corporate profits first, fighters second," De La Hoya told the commerce, science and transportation committee, per The Guardian. At issue is a House-passed bill that would permit "Unified Boxing Organizations" to operate alongside the current fragmented system, breaking the firewall between promoters and sanctioning bodies that the Ali Act established.

Professional boxer Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of Muhammad Ali, told lawmakers the changes would eliminate real choice for fighters. "When one system controls access, choice becomes theoretical, not real," Walsh said, according to the report. "When that happens, you fight who you're told to fight or you don't fight at all."

TKO executives push league model for boxing

Nick Khan, a board member of TKO Group Holdings — the UFC and WWE parent company backing the new Zuffa Boxing venture — argued the current landscape has become difficult to watch. Khan pointed to multiple fighters claiming titles in the same weight class, calling the situation unsustainable. TKO is partnering with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund on Zuffa Boxing, which would operate under the proposed framework if the Senate passes the bill.

The proposal would allow exclusive long-term contracts and reduce financial disclosure requirements, according to documents reviewed by The Guardian. Some agreements reportedly grant promoters control over opponent selection and restrict outside competition, with fighters who leave a unified system potentially forfeiting rankings and title status.

Walsh pushed back on claims that boxing needs fixing. "Boxing is not broken," he said, noting UFC champions still chase boxing matches for better purses. The hearing came as scrutiny continues over combat sports business models — the UFC settled an antitrust wage suppression lawsuit for $375 million in 2024 while denying wrongdoing. The Senate has not set a timeline for voting on the Ali Act changes.

Source: theguardian.com