By: Sean Crose
“So,” Oscar De La Hoya said on social media Thursday, “it was reported last week that the TKO group is attempting to amend the Muhammad Ali Act and the writing is on the wall.” To De La Hoya that could only mean one thing: “Fighters beware.” TKO Group, which is spearheading UFC honcho Dana White’s foray into major boxing, is seen by De La Hoya as a threat to the Ali Act.
“As TKO prepares to enter the boxing space,” De La Hoya continued, “the first thing they want to do is change this Act and leave fighters vulnerable.” According to the legendary fighter turned promoter, “TKO needs this to change so they can implement the exact same unethical business practices in boxing that they used to create a monopoly with UFC.”
Fair or not, the UFC is not known for treating its fighters well. De La Hoya went on to add that “the UFC recently settled on a $375 million antitrust lawsuit over claims they used illegal practices to suppress fighter’s wages and rival promoters.“ De La Hoya made it clear that he believes boxers can expect the same kind of treatment.
“They’re coming to another sport and trying to do the exact same fucking thing,” he said. “Look, Dana White is a douche bag, always flaunting his relationship with President Donald Trump and is very clearly banking on this getting pushed through using that connection.” The Act, which was written to keep boxers from becoming exploited, was signed in 2000. “The Ali Act is there for a good reason,” De La Hoya stated. “The fact this is the first move they want to make in boxing tells you everything you need to know.”
Well there’s no doubt White has changed the combat sports world as the head of UFC, boxing is a different sport, one where stars get paid much much more than the UFC’s stars. It stands to reason that a businessman like White might want to change that. Whether he will be able to or not or whether he will even try to or not remains to be seen. With that in mind, it’s difficult to judge a man for his actions before there’s any evidence to support a full bodied negative assertion.
At the moment White is promoting September’s Terence Crawford – Canelo Alvarez super fight. It’s also worth noting that White comes from a boxing background, and has long wanted to be in the boxing business, which makes him De La Hoya’s competition.
