The debate over the future of boxing in the United States escalated on Wednesday during a U.S. Senate hearing, where Oscar De La Hoya and Nico Ali Walsh led opposition to proposed amendments to the Muhammad Ali Act backed by the Zuffa Boxing linked group, while Nick Khan one of the key executives behind the project defended the initiative as a necessary modernization of the sport.<\/p>\n
De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, was among the strongest voices against the proposed changes, warning that the new regulatory framework could concentrate too much power within a single organizational structure under a \u201cUnified Boxing Organization (UBO)\u201d model, reducing fighter autonomy and the traditional competitive ecosystem of boxing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf this bill passes, fighters will have fewer choices, less leverage and less control over their careers,\u201d De La Hoya told the committee. \u201cWhen that happens, it will not be the sport that failed them. It will be us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oscar DeLaHoya just testified in front of The U.S. Senate against The Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act.<\/p>\n
He brings up UFC lawsuits and the Saudi Arabia funding.<\/p>\n
Below is the full speech: pic.twitter.com\/XltN5MwFKd<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 BOXING n BBQ (@BOXINGnBBQ) April 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The six division former world champion also pointed to his own career experience as an example of how vulnerable young fighters can be when entering contractual agreements without full understanding or protection.<\/p>\n De La Hoya also made his structural concern clear regarding the proposed system:<\/p>\n \u201cOne system operates under transparency and accountability while the UBOs do not,\u201d De La Hoya said.<\/p>\n In the same line of criticism, Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of Muhammad Ali, reinforced concerns over centralization and loss of opportunity, warning that fighters could lose real access to opportunities under a single governing system.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are moving that same UFC model to boxing. If that model was truly for the\u00a0\u00a0fighters you wouldn\u2019t see a $375M anti trust lawsuit and current UFC fighters begging for raises\u201d Walsh said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The grandson of Muhammad Ali, Nico Ali Walsh, just testified in front of The U.S. Senate against The Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act.<\/p>\n He says if the bill is passed it shouldn\u2019t have his grandfather\u2019s name on it. <\/p>\n Below is the full speech: pic.twitter.com\/3lnIBsd9Ap<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 BOXING n BBQ (@BOXINGnBBQ) April 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n In contrast, Nick Khan one of the executives associated with the Zuffa project and a key figure in the proposed UBO implementation defended the reform as a necessary evolution of boxing, arguing that the sport requires a more structured and commercially viable system.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about presenting an option\u2026 Keep the Ali Act as is. Just provide this option for the UBOs which we think is great for the fighters,\u201d Nick Khan said.<\/p>\n Khan argued that a unified structure would provide better financial stability, improved medical protections for fighters, and a clearer pathway to championship opportunities in a sport currently criticized for fragmentation and multiple sanctioning bodies.<\/p>\n He also addressed the decline of boxing\u2019s presence on major television networks, using it as evidence of the sport\u2019s diminishing commercial viability under its current structure.<\/p>\n \u201cFOX got out, ESPN got out, Showtime got out, HBO got out, NBC got out, ABC got out, and CBS got out.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked why broadcasters exited the sport, Khan was blunt in his assessment of the financial model.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was no return on their investment.\u201d<\/p>\n Khan also targeted the current championship ecosystem, arguing that the proliferation of belts has weakened boxing\u2019s credibility and made it harder for fans to follow.<\/p>\n \u201cThe WBC recognizes 163 champions across 18 weight classes.\u201d<\/p>\n He suggested that the existing sanctioning structure, spread across multiple governing bodies, has created a fragmented system that confuses audiences and undermines the sport\u2019s commercial appeal, reinforcing the argument for a unified governing model.<\/p>\n Nick Khan just testified in front of The U.S. Senate for The Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act.<\/p>\n He says the WBC recognizes too many champions (163 champions across 18 weight classes.) <\/p>\n Below is the full speech: pic.twitter.com\/jO5MPfTiCv<\/a><\/p>\n