GOP’s boxing bill bears Muhammad Ali’s name but is contrary to his spirit

Conservatives in Congress are using boxing great Muhammad Ali’s legacy as a Trojan horse to pass a bill that could unlock more wealth and influence for people like Trump ally and fight promoter Dana White.

At first glance, one might see “Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act” and assume it is some kind of homage to Ali, a man many people revere for his willingness to speak truth to power. Indeed, that seems to have been the intent behind naming the bill, which is heavily backed by executives from TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is led by White.

But a closer look at the bill, which passed the House last month and a version of which Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, expects to introduce in that chamber, suggests it’s little more than a means of enriching some of the president’s allies.

The bill would amend the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act of 2000, which was intended to protect boxers from exploitative business practices. The new bill would create an antitrust carve-out to allow for the formation of a boxing superleague similar to the UFC, a company that has faced lawsuits alleging exploitative employment practices.

Notably, UFC and its parent company, TKO, reached a massive $375 million settlement in 2024 following allegations of antitrust violations and insufficient payments to some fighters. Another lawsuit is still pending, and the UFC has said the plaintiffs in the pending case “lack the standing to represent the proposed class.”

The proposed change could empower Zuffa Boxing, a subsidiary of TKO that was cofounded by White as a joint venture with the Saudi Arabian government. A Zuffa stranglehold on the sport could also benefit Trump-aligned Paramount, which last year signed a deal to broadcast Zuffa Boxing matches.

Critics of the new Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act worry it would enable a single entity to wield currently outlawed control over whether fighters fight, as well as when, for how much and under what conditions. Nico Ali Walsh, one of Ali’s grandsons, appeared at Cruz’s Senate hearing last week to denounce the bill bearing his grandfather’s name:

“The [2000] Ali Act was built on a simple principle,” Walsh began. “The people controlling fighters should not also control the entire marketplace those fighters depend on. The separation exists to prevent conflicts of interest and exploitation. The new Muhammad Ali Boxing Revival Act would undermine that principle by allowing one entity to operate across promotion, management and matchmaking. It removes independence.”

Combat sports journalist Luke Thomas, who’s been following the bill’s progress, said in a video report that its passage by the GOP-controlled Senate is likely a foregone conclusion, noting the lobbying power TKO has brought to bear. Thomas explained in a recent interview with journalist Pablo Torre that the effort to reverse long-standing protections against boxing monopolies dates back decades.

And all of this could literally be done in Muhammad Ali’s name.

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