‘For billionaires, not boxers’: De La Hoya warns over Ali Act overhaul in Senate hearing
A recent US Senate hearing saw boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya vehemently warn against proposed changes to the Ali Act, arguing they favour "billionaires, not boxers." The debate centres on allowing unified boxing bodies, with proponents suggesting it would boost revenue through a centralised model. However, critics, including Nico Ali Walsh, fear such an overhaul could strip fighters of leverage and rights, forcing them to fight who they're told or not at all.
Ali Act overhaul would allow unified boxing bodies
Backers say centralized model would boost revenues
Critics warn fighters could lose leverage and rights
A US Senate hearing on the future of boxing laid bare a sharp divide over the sport’s direction on Wednesday, as longtime boxing figures including Oscar De La Hoya warned the changes could erode fighters’ rights while executives aligned with an Ultimate Fighting Championship-backed push for a centralized model argued they would bring structure and investment.
“When one system controls access, choice becomes theoretical, not real,” professional boxer Nico Ali Walsh told lawmakers, framing the stakes of a debate that could dramatically reshape boxing’s economic model. “When that happens, you fight who you’re told to fight or you don’t fight at all.”
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