Senate Commerce Committee Announces April 22 Hearing on Federal Boxing Law

Senate Commerce Committee Announces April 22 Hearing on Federal Boxing Law

By Boxing Insider Staff

The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a full committee hearing on federal boxing law on Wednesday, April 22, at 10:00 a.m. ET. Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) announced the hearing on Tuesday under the title “Return to Your Corners: Have Federal Boxing Laws Gone the Distance or Slipped the Jab?”

The hearing will examine the current state of professional boxing under the Ali Act and assess H.R. 4624, the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act, which passed the House by voice vote on March 24. That bill would create a new category of organization called a Unified Boxing Organization, or UBO, allowing a single entity to combine promotion, rankings, titles, and sanctioning under one roof.

The Witnesses

Four witnesses are scheduled to testify.

Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. De La Hoya is one of the most prominent promoters in boxing and has publicly opposed the UBO structure.

Timothy Shipman, President of the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports, and Executive Director of the Florida Athletic Commission. H.R. 4624 designates the ABC as the body that would certify ringside physicians, judges, and referees for all of professional boxing. The ABC does not currently require pre-fight brain imaging for professional boxers. Shipman’s dual role as ABC president and head of the Florida commission is notable. The Florida Athletic Commission does not require brain imaging for fighters under 40 and sanctions influencer boxing, and other events that commissions in New York, New Jersey, and Nevada would not approve.

Nico Ali Walsh, professional boxer and grandson of Muhammad Ali. Ali Walsh has been vocal in opposing changes to the Ali Act and is affiliated with the Ali Act Preservation Alliance.

Nick Khan, President of World Wrestling Entertainment. Khan’s appearance is listed under the WWE title rather than TKO Group Holdings or Zuffa Boxing, the entities more directly connected to the UBO concept. TKO, the parent company of both UFC and WWE, is widely viewed as the most likely entity to form a UBO if the bill becomes law.

What to Watch

Cruz’s framing was notably neutral. He described the hearing as an opportunity to examine “how the current structure has shaped the sport” and hear from witnesses with “differing perspectives.” He did not endorse or oppose H.R. 4624 in his statement.

The witness panel is split. De La Hoya and Ali Walsh represent opposition to the UBO structure. Shipman represents the regulatory body the bill empowers. Khan represents the organization most likely to use it.

The hearing is the first time the Senate Commerce Committee has examined boxing law since the committee unanimously approved federal boxing commission legislation in 2004 and 2009. Neither bill became law.

The hearing will stream live on the committee website and YouTube.

BoxingInsider Coverage

BoxingInsider.com has published an extensive series examining H.R. 4624 and the history of federal boxing reform:

A Brief History of Congress Trying and Failing to Fix Boxing

From the Mob’s Monopoly to the Muhammad Ali Act: The 50-Year Fight That Set the Stage for Everything Congress Is Arguing About Now

The Muhammad Ali Revival Act Turns the ABC Into America’s De Facto National Boxing Commission

Bob Arum Identified the Three Protections the Ali Bill Takes Away from Fighters

If the Ali Revival Act Passes, Who Is Watching Out for the Fighters Now?