Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved amendments to the Ali Act.
Ali Act Amendments: Dana White’s Zuffa Celebrates Victory
BoxingScene quoted Zuffa Boxing President Dana White on the decision: “Resistance? Competition? We didn’t encounter any of that in boxing. It’s all like beating babies. I feel like I just came in and I’m beating babies.”
Dana White and Zuffa are the primary beneficiaries of these amendments, officially known as bill HR 4624. For the bill to become law, it must first be approved by the Senate and then signed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The passage of HR 4624 was widely anticipated, as Zuffa’s project was launched long before this, possibly as early as January or starting from September, following the Canelo – Crawford event.
For White and Zuffa, the main innovation in the rules is the permission to develop boxing outside of traditional sanctioning organizations (WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO).
The idea is to allow promoters to create boxing organizations modeled after the UFC – forming closed promotions with their own rosters of fighters, rankings, and titles. In the bill, such structures are referred to as UBOs (United Boxing Organizations).
The bill also includes positive changes for the rest of the boxing world. Primarily, this is a ban on “interim” champions, as current sanctioning organizations (e.g., WBA with 30 “champions” and WBC with 28) have turned the system into a mockery.
Other innovations provided by the bill include the introduction of a minimum wage, health insurance, and medical safety. However, these measures are not necessarily an unmitigated “plus” – theoretically, they could threaten club boxing or increase demand for illegal fights.
Bill HR 4624 includes important changes and amendments concerning contract terms, free agent status, and the right for fighters to negotiate with other promoters one month before their current agreement expires.