New Muhammad Ali Act could shake up boxing rules - Here's what's changing

What the new bill proposes

The initiative was introduced by Congress members Brian Jack and Sharice Davids. The key innovation of their bill is the creation of Unified Boxing Organizations (UBOs), which will allow promoters to independently form rankings and issue championship belts.

This model will function similarly to how the world's largest mixed martial arts organization—the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)—is organized.

This means a departure from the provisions of the current "Muhammad Ali Act" of 2000, which, on the contrary, limited such control for promoters to prevent fighter exploitation and conflicts of interest.

In addition to structural changes, the bill focuses on enhancing social and medical protections for boxers:

• UBOs will be required to pay fighters a minimum of $150 per round.
• Mandatory coverage of medical expenses related to injuries sustained during fights, in the amount of at least $25,000.
• Boxers under contract will receive medical insurance in case of injuries during training.
• Fighters will be given access to rehabilitation centers and training facilities.
• These organizations will be allowed to create their anti-doping programs.

Reaction to the bill from the boxing community

The bill has already received support from major industry players.

In particular, TKO Group Holdings, which owns the UFC and recently entered the boxing market in partnership with Saudi Arabia, endorsed this initiative.

Sharice Davids, one of the bill's initiators and a former MMA fighter, emphasizes its importance:

She said that, as a former MMA fighter, she knew from her experience about the physical and financial risks associated with stepping into the ring. This bipartisan bill is intended to provide professional boxers with the protection, opportunities, and freedom of choice they deserve. She was proud to be working on this issue to help strengthen the future of American boxing and ensure fair and safe treatment for athletes.

The bill was also positively received by the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) of the United States.

Michael Mazzulli, ABC president, said that the Board of Directors of the Association of Boxing Commissions had unanimously supported the new law. It provides much-needed updates to the 1996 Professional Boxing Safety Act, improving medical standards that protect boxers, establishing a national minimum pay per round, and defining national minimum medical insurance requirements. This bill will reduce the exploitation of both debutants and all professional fighters participating in fistfights, he said

Muhammad Ali's widow, Lonnie, also supports it.

However, despite the positive feedback, the bill also raises concerns among some members of the boxing community who fear the new system could limit boxers' opportunities and centralize too much power in the hands of promoters. For example, existing sanctioning organizations do not charge boxers for rankings or participating in title fights, which may not be the case under the new system.

The bill is expected to be submitted for consideration by the US Congress in the coming weeks.

It is the first major update to federal boxing legislation in the past quarter century and could significantly reshape the landscape of professional boxing in the United States in order to "restore its former glory" (by the way, boxing is the only professional sport regulated by Congress).

Earlier, we wrote about where Oleksandr Usyk's record purse from the rematch with Daniel Dubois will be spent.

Previously, we revealed the reason why Dubois was late for the fight with Usyk.

Sources: MMA Fighting and ESPN websites.