The Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act passes the house. What next?

Note: The author of this piece is not in favour of the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act and has spoken in opposition of it.

The Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act has passed the United States House of Representatives.

Tuesday in Washington, D.C. saw representatives pass the bill with a 2/3 voice vote following 40 minutes of debate. It will now move to The Senate for another vote. The bill, also known as H.R.4624, had previously been approved by a vote of 30-4 at a Jan. 21 House Committee on Education and Workforce markup.

H.R.4624 seeks, among other things, to allow for the existence of unified boxing organizations (UBOs). It would allow UBOs to sign fighters, promote their bouts, award titles, and control rankings. They would not require an independent sanctioning organization in order to do this should the bill become law. In short, the bill would allow for companies to engage in the same anti-competitive practices currently seen in the UFC.

Reactions in the House

Representatives in Washington, D.C. spoke on the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act prior to voting on it. Almost all representatives present spoke in favour of the bill. This included Republican representative Brian Jack of Georgia, the bill’s sponsor.

“The House of Representatives made history today by passing by voice vote landmark boxing legislation that will revive one of America’s greatest sports in the name of one of America’s greatest athletes,” said Jack in a press release.

“Professional boxing is the only sport regulated by Congress, and ambiguity in current law — adopted over a quarter century ago — has adversely affected boxers and stifled investment. The Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act strengthens safety protections for boxers, improves the quality of life for boxers, and establishes a framework for innovation within the sport to flourish.”

Other supporters of H.R.4624 were Tim Walberg (R) of Michigan, Robert C. Scott (D) of Virginia, Ilhan Omar (D) of Minnesota, Jim Jordan (R) of Ohio, Mark Harris (R) of North Carolina, Morgan McGarvey (D) of Kentucky, and Ryan Mackenzie (R) of Pennsylvania. Democrat Joe Courtney of Connecticut was the lone dissenting voice during the proceedings.

“I rise today in opposition to H.R.4624, which I also opposed in committee along with three other members, to the Muhammad Ali Boxing Revival Act, a bill which radically amends the existing Muhammad Ali Act that was passed in 2000,” Courtney said on Tuesday.

“That law established statutory protections for boxers from exploitative and unethical business practices. The committee received expert testimony from witnesses with deep experience in the legal landscape in the boxing world and warned us that this bill will strip away many of those hard-fought reforms. H.R.4624 creates a new parallel legal structure, the new so-called unified boxing organizations, which can engage in promotion, rule-setting, match organization, and creation of their own titles and rankings.”

What next for the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act?

H.R.4624 was introduced in July last year and has garnered support from many boxing stakeholders. The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) voted to formally endorse the bill in October last year. Representative Omar had previously not been a supporter of H.R.4624, but ultimately changed her mind when the time came to vote on it in the house.

The bill has also had its critics, among them the Colorado Combative Sports Commission and the Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Association (MMAFA). USA Boxing, the national governing body for amateur boxing in the United States, withdrew their letter of support for the bill and elected to not take a position on it. John S. Nash and Jason Cruz have also penned pieces criticizing the bill.

Although H.R.4624 passed the house of representatives, it is not yet law. It still needs to pass a vote in the senate and be signed into law by United States president Donald Trump. There is still time before either of those things happen. That is why contacting your senators (if you are American) is crucial at this time. Do take the time to reach out to them and express opposition to the bill. You can use this link to find ways to contact your senators.