Oscar De La Hoya Takes on Dana White Over Muhammad Ali Act Changes

The long-standing feud between boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya and the UFC CEO, Dana White, has spilled from social media into the halls of Congress, where the stakes now extend far beyond personal rivalry and into the future structure of professional boxing.Appearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Wednesday, Mr. De La Hoya, a six-division champion turned promoter, delivered a pointed rebuke to the proposed Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. The Olympic gold medalist who now runs Golden Boy Promotions warned lawmakers that the legislation could fundamentally reshape the sport in ways that harm the very athletes it claims to protect.“This is a fundamental shift in power that, if enacted, would put corporate profits first and fighters second, “Mr. De La Hoya told the senators. “We should be clear about who benefits from this.”The Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996, which was amended as the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act of 2000, is a federal framework designed to protect fighters from exploitation by requiring financial transparency, banning coercive contracts and separating the roles of promoters and managers to avoid conflicts of interest.The Revival Act would not eliminate those laws, but allow for unified boxing organizations — such as Mr. White’s newly launched Zuffa Boxing — that could control promotion, rankings, titles and matchmaking under a single umbrella. It closely models the UFC where Mr. White has built a global powerhouse by centralizing control of nearly every aspect of the sport.The bill, strongly backed by Mr. White and his parent company TKO Group, has already passed the House of Representatives and is expected to be introduced in the Senate in the coming weeks.Speaking after Senator Ted Cruz rang a bell to mock the beginning of a round, Mr. De La Hoya said, “Fighters deserve real protection and real opportunity — not to have to fight the system as well. If this bill passes, fighters will have fewer choices, less leverage and less control over their careers.” Supporters argue the bill modernizes boxing and offers the kind of stability that can attract new investment. Representing the TKO Group, the WWE president, Nick Kahn, told the hearing the changes would ultimately benefit fighters by increasing revenue and creating new opportunities.The hearing also heard from Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, who expressed his opposition to the bill. “The people controlling the fighters should not also control the entire marketplace those fighters depend on,” said Mr. Walsh, a professional fighter with a 12-2-1 record and five knockouts. “The separation exists to prevent conflict of interest and exploitation. This bill removes that independence.”The bill represents a tug-of-war between traditional boxing promoters and Mr. White, the UFC boss, who has partnered with Turki Al-Sheikh to launch Zuffa Boxing with the backing of the TKO Group and the Saudi Arabian-owned entertainment and sports company, Sela.Promoters such as Mr. De La Hoya, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing in the United Kingdom, and Top Rank Hall of Famer Bob Arum are all in opposition to the bill, while former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and Mr. Ali’s widow, Lonnie Ali, support the legislation.“I’m definitely not trying to get rid of [the Ali Act],” Mr. White told Ring Magazine in October 2025. “We’re going to add on to it. I think the Ali Act was done with the right intentions. Just because it was put in place, it doesn’t mean it works, and it doesn’t mean it fixes anything. It actually complicated a lot of things.”Messrs. De La Hoya and White have disparaged each other for a number of years, with Mr. White often criticizing boxing for its multiple sanctioning bodies and championship belts.The various sanctioning bodies and multiple championship belts in boxing can be confusing, but it offers options. MMA fighters serve only the UFC.Mr. De La Hoya said the UFC model eliminates all of a fighter’s leverage to negotiate his best deal. Also at stake is protecting the next generation of fighters from the kind of challenges he experienced early in his own career.“Like me, many fighters enter this sport, young, trusting and without resources,” he said. “Once they’re locked into the wrong deal, it’s very difficult to get out. That’s why the Ali Act exists.”

Oscar De La Hoya Takes on Dana White Over Muhammad Ali Act Changes

Oscar De La Hoya Takes on Dana White Over Muhammad Ali Act Changes

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