Dana White is picking a new fight, but this time his opponent isn’t in the octagon—it’s the United States Congress and decades of boxing law. While White has his reasons for championing this revised legislation, these calls for reform are part of a long-running battle within the sport that has surfaced multiple times over the years.
As of now, the House of Representatives has successfully passed the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. Next up? It’s headed for the Senate’s consideration. Shortly after, President Donald Trump will step in and potentially sign it into law. This act promises to bring in major changes to the boxing landscape. But before we dive into that, let’s look at the earlier proposals surrounding the original 2000 Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act.
What Congress tried to do with boxing
From 2000 to the present, Congress has made several attempts to update boxing law. Although none of those bills became law, what they tried to do is very different from what the House just passed. In total, there were six proposed bills.
Senator John McCain thought of creating a federal boxing commission in 2004. Bill S.275 proposed that a single federation would regulate the sport in the U.S. However, several state commissions, like New Jersey and Nevada, stepped in to oppose. As a result, although the Senate passed the bill, the House rejected it.
But that didn’t stop McCain’s zeal toward bringing a change in boxing. In 2005, with Bill S.148, the Senator made another attempt. However, the outcome was the same, but with a twist. While the Senate unanimously voted for it, the House voted for a companion bill, H.R. 1065. Despite both agreeing, it failed in the final count.
Yet, McCain kept at it. He came back in 2009 with Bill S.38, but it also didn’t reach a full vote in Congress. McCain’s bills proposed a national body that would license everyone in boxing (fighters, promoters, trainers, etc.). Not just that, it would also track fighters’ medical records and injuries nationwide, enforce fair contracts and rankings, and oversee state boxing commissions to make sure rules were followed.
Although the Senate wanted these changes, it failed to get the required votes. Later, the House proposed some of its plans. An attempt in 2014 by Rep. Peter King with the Professional Boxing Amendments Act (H.R. 5395) died in committee due to Senate opposition. Two years later, Rep. Markwayne Mullin, a former MMA fighter, introduced a unique proposal: the Muhammad Ali Expansion Act (H.R. 5365).
He wanted MMA fighters to get the same protections as boxers. Despite its initial rejection, Mullin reintroduced the bill in 2017, where it failed again.
Hence, no major changes were made to boxing laws during this time. One might speculate what the latest bill passed by the House offers.
What is the new Ali Act?
On March 26, 2026, the Muhammad Ali Boxing Revival Act became the first boxing reform bill to pass the House since the original Ali Act became law in 2000. After years of attempts, what did the Ali Act offer that convinced a part of Congress to pass it? For starters, it did not propose a federal commission or a national licensing system.
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Instead, it would establish Unified Boxing Organizations (UBOs), allowing them to operate in place of the current sanctioning bodies that govern the sport (WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF). So, one organization can decide who fights, who is ranked, and who gets title shots.
For someone like Dana White, who just entered the sport with Zuffa Boxing, it would be quite helpful. But why? Over his more than a decade-long career as the UFC head honcho, White has become familiar with a similar way of running his promotion.
On top of that, the bill will also facilitate minimum pay ($200 per round), provide medical coverage for fighters and certified ringside physicians, and drug testing for title fights. However, it does not enforce some of the key protections from the original Ali Act, such as protection from unfair or forced contracts.
The next step
The act would open the door for a UFC-style boxing structure. In the process, it can avoid the boxer protection rules in the original Ali Act. Quite a drastic call for change, isn’t it? For that reason, promoters like Bob Arum have pointed out the detrimental impact of the revised act on the boxers.
As of now, the bill is with the Senate Commerce Committee, led by Ted Cruz. The Senate can hold hearings and make changes before passing the bill. The original Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act took quite some time to become law in 2000. So, the expectations around the revised bill will also be the same.
On that note, will the Senate push for changes to the bill? Let us know in the comments below!
