House approves Ali Revival Act; legislation now moves to Senate

The Muhammad Ali Boxing Revival Act is progressing toward becoming law.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the Revival Act through a voice vote during its legislative session on Tuesday following a half-hour discussion. It is now set to move to the Senate. If it passes there, it will then be presented to President Donald Trump for potential signing into law.

Should the bill be enacted, the most significant change introduced by the Revival Act would be the establishment of Unified Boxing Organizations, commonly referred to as UBOs, providing additional options for boxers in their careers.

Currently, boxing regulations mandate a distinction between promoters, who organize the fights, and sanctioning bodies, which manage rankings, titles, and matchmaking. The Revival Act would permit UBOs to oversee all these functions as a comprehensive solution, akin to the role of the Ultimate Fighting Championship in MMA. The Revival Act would apply solely to boxing, not MMA.

Proponents of the bill—including UFC CEO Dana White and his Zuffa Boxing promotional group, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, and the Association of Boxing Commissions—have lauded it as an additional option for fighters. They highlighted enhanced healthcare provisions for all boxers, which would include mandatory physical examinations and brain and eye testing, a single belt per sanctioning body per weight class, and a minimum payment of $200 per round for all fighters.

These advocates emphasize that the introduction of UBOs will not dismantle the existing structure of professional boxing but will provide an alternative opportunity for fighters to select the career path that suits them best.

“My hope is that, with its passage, there won’t just be one UBO; I hope to see a dozen UBOs operating, if not more, in this sport,” Rep. Brian Jack (R-Ga.), the bill’s author, stated to ESPN on Tuesday night. “Increased interest, innovation, and opportunities for boxers and fans will enhance the enjoyment of a sport that once inspired greatness.”

Opponents of the bill argue that it could be detrimental to fighters and diminish the protections established by the original Ali Act bills—the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 and the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act of 2000—by potentially shifting financial power from fighters to promoters.

The Revival Act has also faced criticism from promoters and others within the boxing community who claim that White is attempting to modify the Ali Act to enable his boxing enterprise, Zuffa Boxing, to function similarly to the UFC, which maintains control over matchmaking, rankings, titles, and the contracts it offers. The UFC has been involved in two antitrust lawsuits from fighters alleging wage suppression and monopolistic practices, settling one case for $375 million.

White has responded with arguments similar to those of some congressmen, asserting that UBOs merely provide an option.

The bill initially passed 30-4 out of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce in January. On Tuesday, nine House members addressed the bill on the House floor, with only one, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), opposing it.

“The UBO organizations proposed under [the Revival Act] will emulate a model that has proven to be highly profitable in other non-boxing mixed martial arts sectors that operate with minimal legal and economic protections for fighters,” Courtney remarked.

He further expressed concerns regarding how those organizations, which he did not specify, utilize long-term contracts with mandatory arbitration, preventing fighters from pursuing breach-of-contract lawsuits and waiving rights for class action lawsuits.

Top Rank founder Bob Arum criticized the bill in a December letter to Congress, questioning why UBOs would be exempt from compliance regulations that non-UBOs must adhere to. Arum also voiced worries about the bill potentially removing protections for fighters if they joined a UBO.

Courtney and two other House members urged the Senate to continue amending the bill to enhance its provisions. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), who supported the bill, proposed that the Senate could incorporate measures preventing contracts between UBOs and boxers from “including clauses that prohibit class action proceedings or require disputes to be resolved through private arbitration.”

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who proposed amendments to the bill in committee, expressed support for the bill while also advocating for “greater financial transparency, stronger anti-monopoly measures, and enhanced safeguards against coercive contracts.”

An amendment to the bill in March also permits the ABC and the Association of Ringside Physicians to establish baseline health and safety standards for all states within the sport. These standards would encompass annual physicals along with brain, eye, and heart examinations, as well as blood tests every six months. It would also necessitate increased testing for fighters over the age of 40.

Additionally, it would empower the ABC to certify judges and officials for fights, a responsibility currently held solely by state athletic commissions.

“There are multiple options available. Fighters can choose one path or another if this bill is enacted,” Jack stated. “They can join a UBO or opt for the existing sanctioning organization model. Why not provide fighters with that choice?”