Oscar De La Hoya and Muhammad Ali's grandson slammed proposed changes to federal boxing laws, warning a US Senate committee that the reforms would prioritize corporate profits and Saudi investors over fighters.
Approved last month by the House of Representatives, changes to the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act would allow the creation of Unified Boxing Organizations, or UBOs, in which a single entity can serve as governing body and promoter.
Witnesses at a Senate hearing accused boxing's multiple sanctioning bodies of corruption or extortion, pointing to fighters who have had title belts stripped over financial disputes, and said a unified code would boost in-ring safety.
However, the changes were fiercely opposed by other witnesses, including former boxing great De La Hoya, who said the reforms "align directly" with Zuffa Boxing, a recently launched Saudi-owned boxing promoter.
Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of Muhammad Ali and a professional boxer in his own right, also railed against the reforms, saying the original Ali Act since 2000 has protected fighters from previously rampant anti-competitive and exploitative practices by promoters.
