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.
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 “Unified Boxing Organization (UBO)” model, reducing fighter autonomy and the traditional competitive ecosystem of boxing.
“If this bill passes, fighters will have fewer choices, less leverage and less control over their careers,” De La Hoya told the committee. “When that happens, it will not be the sport that failed them. It will be us.”
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.
De La Hoya also made his structural concern clear regarding the proposed system:
“One system operates under transparency and accountability while the UBOs do not,” De La Hoya said.
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.
“They are moving that same UFC model to boxing. If that model was truly for the fighters you wouldn’t see a $375M anti trust lawsuit and current UFC fighters begging for raises” Walsh said.
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.
“It’s about presenting an option… Keep the Ali Act as is. Just provide this option for the UBOs which we think is great for the fighters,” Nick Khan said.
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.
He also addressed the decline of boxing’s presence on major television networks, using it as evidence of the sport’s diminishing commercial viability under its current structure.
“FOX got out, ESPN got out, Showtime got out, HBO got out, NBC got out, ABC got out, and CBS got out.”
When asked why broadcasters exited the sport, Khan was blunt in his assessment of the financial model.
“There was no return on their investment.”
Khan also targeted the current championship ecosystem, arguing that the proliferation of belts has weakened boxing’s credibility and made it harder for fans to follow.
“The WBC recognizes 163 champions across 18 weight classes.”
He suggested that the existing sanctioning structure, spread across multiple governing bodies, has created a fragmented system that confuses audiences and undermines the sport’s commercial appeal, reinforcing the argument for a unified governing model.
The hearing highlighted a clear ideological divide: De La Hoya and Nico Ali Walsh defending boxing’s traditional promoter-driven ecosystem, while Khan and UBO supporters argued the current structure is outdated and inefficient from a global business perspective.
The proposed amendments to the Ali Act have already passed the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously, increasing pressure on the Senate, where Senator Ted Cruz has confirmed he will introduce the TKO Ali Act version of the bill, though he expects differences from the House version.
