De La Hoya Calls Out ‘Shady’ Zuffa Boxing

Oscar De La Hoya has launched a critique against Zuffa Boxing, accusing the new venture—backed by Dana White—of attempting to alter the Muhammad Ali Act for “shady” reasons.

De La Hoya’s concern centers on the belief that amending the Ali Act would severely reduce fighter protections. The Ali Act was made to protect boxers against unfair contracts, and allow a fair system of rankings. The new Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act will implement unified boxing organizations with their own titles, rankings and belts outside of the four major sanctioning bodies (WBC, WBO, IBF, WBA), like the UFC.

The act has had a mixed reaction. The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) voted unanimously to endorse it, while the Association of Professional Boxing Commission has spoken out against it. De La Hoya also has a problem with Zuffa’s approach to matchmaking. He advocates building up fighters, contrasting with White’s “Contender Series” philosophy of pitting top prospects against each other early on. 

De La Hoya Reacts

“The fact that a new entity is coming into boxing and already wants to change a bill that has been in place for decades, that protects fighters, to me is shady. If you’re a person trying to do right in the sport, you don’t eliminate the bill that’s protecting the fighter. The fighter is the product. Without that clause there, the fighter is vulnerable, I don’t really see it as competition.

“I’m a serious promoter. I’m a promoter who’s gonna promote and develop world champions from the start. I’m gonna identify prospects, and I’m gonna build them just the way I built Canelo, just the way I built Ryan Garcia, just the way I’m building all my champions now: step by step. I’m not gonna get them beat and eliminated right off the bat. This is more like a reality show, a game show or something. I don’t really see it as real boxing and competition,” De La Hoya said