Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has thrown his support behind the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act.
The legislation — which was initially proposed by Congressman Brian Jack (R-Georgia) and Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) — is backed by UFC CEO Dana White and his Zuffa Boxing promotional outfit to make amendment changes to the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, established and enacted in 2000 to protect boxers from exploitation.
The Revival Act has been met with criticism by many in the boxing community with accusations that White is seeking to make changes so that his Zuffa Boxing outfit can operate in a similar fashion as the UFC, where MMA fighters are paid considerably less than their boxing counterparts and White can maintain control over the promotion by installing their own rankings system, sanctioning body and world titles.
Tyson, 58, is a longtime friend of White.
“Muhammad Ali has always been my hero, both inside and outside the ring,” Tyson said in his statement to the United States House Committee on Education & Workforce. “Supporting these revisions honors the spirit of the original Ali Act by closing loopholes that have allowed some promoters to regain monopolistic control over fighters’ careers. This new legislation restores balance — allowing boxers to choose their own path while preserving the integrity of the sport. The Act does not alter the opportunities of those who are comfortable with the current system; it simply adds options for fighters who wish to pursue a different path that better suits their career goals.”
Tyson also suggested that the Revival Act would provide greater protection and compensation for boxers.
“The requirement for mandatory health insurance is equally critical — no fighter should ever have to choose between paying medical bills and pursuing their career. I’ve seen too many of my peers face that impossible decision,” he said in the statement.
Representatives from Zuffa Boxing have maintained to ESPN that the new act won’t change any of the language in the current Ali Act. Instead, it would implement and enhance the current act, which they suggest would provide more opportunities for boxers in the long run.
“I am honored to earn the support of Mike Tyson, one of the greatest boxers of all time. Mike Tyson’s unprecedented success in the sport enabled him to transcend his accomplishments in the ring, and become an American cultural phenomenon,” Jack said in a statement. “Mike Tyson supports the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act because it protects boxers and offers more choice and new career opportunities for fighters to reach the same level of success that he once earned.”
