Nico Ali Walsh Joins Oscar De La Hoya in Opposing The Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act

Talking at the Senate, Senator Ted Cruz played the mediator as De La Hoya revealed that the new reform would ring the death knell on the sport of boxing.

“I care deeply about boxing and, more importantly, about the fighters who step into the ring and risk their lives for our entertainment. I’m here because I strongly believe the proposed changes take us in the wrong direction. This principle change of the proposed amendment allows a promoter to create an entity that serves as both promoter and governing body, a so-called UBO,” he said.

What Zuffa Boxing is trying to do with the Ali Act is essentially reshape boxing so it can operate more like the UFC. Through the proposed Boxing Revival Act, they’re pushing for the creation of Unified Boxing Organizations (UBO), which would allow a single company to control promotion, rankings, titles, matchmaking, and fighter contracts all under one umbrella. As a matter of fact, this is exactly the opposite of what the original Ali Act sought to do by separating powers.

Ali Walsh is also extremely vocal about the association of his grandfather’s name with the revival bill, certain that the boxing legend would be the first to oppose it.

“Protection should be strengthened, especially around health and safety, but not used as justification to restructure the sport in a way that removes power from fighters. The bill that the House has passed should not be adopted,” said Ali Walsh without skipping a beat. “We can protect fighters more effectively than we do today without concentrating control over them. If this bill is passed in its current form, it should not have my grandfather’s name on it”

“Give Boxers The Freedom”

Meanwhile, TKO executive Nick Khan, who spearheaded the talks in favor of the bill, argued that it would only give boxers more freedom in their journey as fighters.

“The Muhammad Ali Boxing Revival Act is built on a simple premise: give boxers the freedom to choose a better system. The act, as it currently stands, would remain in place. The system, as it currently stands, would remain in place. This is an ‘or’ option. Create the framework for UBOs that can do what major sports do: promote competition,” he said.