The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) is backing the TKO-charged Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act.
CSAC support for the bill formally came after a unanimous 6-0 vote Wednesday at the end of a two-hour-long commission meeting, during which over 90 members of the public joined, and 32 spoke.
The commission added one caveat to its support, which was that the amendment must include state-level adjustments to account for cost of living going forward.
A CSAC discussion on the Muhammad Ali American Revival Act initially took place Sept. 8. After much dissent in the public comment portion, the matter was tabled until Dec. 8. However, the CSAC bumped the meeting up to Wednesday instead.
Prior to opening the floor for public comment, commission members briefly discussed the matter among themselves.
Commissioners Chris Grewell and Dr. AnnaMarie De Mars overviewed the process of reaching a motion to support the amendment.
De Mars, the mother of UFC legend Ronda Rousey, said there was widespread agreement on certain aspects (health insurance, minimum payments for boxers, sanctioning bodies’ imperfections, and the cost-of-living increases caveat). She also added that there was disagreement regarding opening the doors for a potential monopoly, as well as concerns about contract lengths and pay transparency.
Commissioner Peter Villegas said he received an endorsement from Lonnie Ali, the wife of the late Muhammad Ali, and spoke with Dana White and Hunter Campbell directly. Commissioner Chris Gruwell said he spoke with rapper LL Cool J.
Gruwell said he thought the amendment “raises the floor for boxing,” particularly with a potential UFC Performance Institute-like facility that would be built in Florida for boxers.
The CSAC then motioned to support the amendment and opened up the public comment lines prior to vote, where they were met with some support but more pushback, particularly from ex-UFC fighters.
Public comment section
During the public comment period, 12 voices, many of which belonged to TKO employees and regulatory officials, endorsed the act. Twenty speakers, including many former UFC fighters, opposed it.
Among those who supported the bill were WWE president and TKO board member Nick Khan, longtime official “Big” John McCarthy, former UFC fighter and current CSAC official Chris Leben, UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin, boxing promoters Tom Loeffler and Cory Rapacz, and doctors Daniel Eichner (of SMRTL) and Jeff Davidson (of the UFC), among others.
Recurring themes from those who voiced support included the exposure boxing would get from TKO striking a broadcasting deal and the raising of minimum boxer payments. Leben mentioned the UFC platform and how he became widely recognized because of the exposure. McCarthy said those who opposed the amendment likely had financial reasons for doing so.
Former UFC fighters who vocally opposed the proposed endorsement included Kajan Johnson, Vinicius Quieroz, Sara McMann, Tarec Saffiedine, Hugo Viana, Carlos Newton, Matt Brown, Todd Duffee, Pat Barry, Nathan Quarry, and Brock Jardine. Many voiced concerns about one-way negotiations, market control, and conflicts of interest.
Longtime trainer Juanito Ibarra also strongly opposed the bill, saying the CSAC’s subcommittee discussed the matter with him prior to Wednesday’s hearing. Ibarra said the conversation lasted over 2.5 hours, and he struggled to say one good thing about the bill.
Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Association representative Rob Maysey also questioned the commission’s decision to hold the meeting on Wednesday rather than in December and said it was a violation of the Brown Act, after Fighting Foundation’s Carla Duran accused the CSAC of aligning itself too closely with TKO and lobbying efforts.
Statement from TKO Boxing
Following Wednesday’s vote, Nick Khan released the following statement.
“On behalf of Zuffa Boxing, we want to thank the California State Athletic Commission for their thoughtful consideration of all voices presented in today’s hearing and for their unanimous (6-0) support for the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. This bill does not eliminate or change any of the existing provisions of the original Ali Act. What we are proposing is an alternative system in which fighters will have more choice and opportunities, better pay, greater health and safety protections, and more events in which to compete.
“Also, as the commission is fully aware, the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act is supported by Lonnie Ali, wife of the greatest, Muhammad Ali. We know Lonnie personally and can share with you what she said to us: ‘This is a great opportunity for boxers, and this is what Muhammad would have wanted.’”
What’s next?
Wednesday’s hearing did not immediately progress the amendment further, as the bill remains in the introductory stages. In order for the amendment to pass, the bill will need to pass in committee, the House, and the Senate. But California’s formal backing only increases the odds this will happen.
What does this all mean?
A bill co-authored by Republican congressman Brian Jack and Democrat congresswoman Sharice Davids has been introduced, but will require multiple votes to pass.
The amendment would allow for the operation of UBOs or Unified Boxing Organizations, which could operate outside of the bounds of a sanctioning body. It would also raise the minimum per round for boxers and be able to award its own organizational titles.
Critics of the amendment say it would allow the UFC to gain control of the market and suppress fighter pay by skirting around the current Ali Act’s constructs intended to elevate competition in the marketplace and lead to more protections for boxers.
