Boxing purists who “freak out” every time UFC CEO Dana White mentions the Muhammad Ali Act need to calm down. That’s because White has no plans to change the existing law, he simply wants to “add on to it.” You can argue that an addition qualifies as change, or you can stop thinking like a […]
Boxing purists who “freak out” every time UFC CEO Dana White mentions the Muhammad Ali Act need to calm down.
That’s because White has no plans to change the existing law, he simply wants to “add on to it.” You can argue that an addition qualifies as change, or you can stop thinking like a small-minded boxing promoter and “bet on” White’s new “sweet science” endeavor, recently added to the Paramount+ lineup for 2026.
“Let’s be clear, there will be zero changes to the Muhammad Ali Act,” White told CBS Sports. “Not one word will be changed in the Muhammad Ali Act. We’re gonna add on to it. So, the guys who, you know, guys being fighters that want to fight under the Muhammad Ali act exactly the way it is, will have the opportunity to do that. Or you can bet on me, and fight with me under our version of the Muhammad Ali Act. So that thing’s been blown a lot out of proportion, and I get it, and I knew people were going to freak out, because that’s what people do.”
“Listen, the Muhammad Ali Act was put in place with all good intentions, but I think that it’s held the business back,” White explained. “And like I said earlier, you know, these guys, like, all these guys that have been in boxing and have been involved in boxing for a long time; the promoters, they just don’t think big enough. I think much bigger than any of them do, no matter how bad they all want to compete with me.”
It certainly helps to have Saudi financing on your side.
The original Muhammad Ali Act (read it here) was designed to protect boxers from shady managers and promoters by establishing contractual requirements that require financial transparencies and public disclosures. The Muhammad Ali Boxing Revival Act (see the updates here) seeks to alter that law by giving promoters like ZUFFA boxing the power to control its own roster, akin to how White and Co. operate under UFC.
Some pugilists see the change as an excuse to “bring the pay back down.”
Category: General Sports
