By BoxingNews.com
Copyright yardbarker
Bob Arum has spoken out against any potential amendments to the Muhammad Ali Act, calling the new bill “a tragedy.”
Arum’s comments come as he hit out at what he sees as Dana White’s push to make changes to the law. The original Ali Act was designed to ensure transparency, ban extreme contracts, and keep rankings free from manipulation. However, a new bill, titled the “Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act,” would allow unified boxing organizations to establish their own championship titles and rankings, separate from the four major sanctioning bodies (WBC, WBO, IBF, WBA).
This new structure would closely resemble the UFC’s model in MMA, where a single promotion controls the titles and rankings. Many in the boxing community, including Arum, believe this would consolidate power and hurt fighters who are not already major stars.
“I think that’s exactly what he’s trying to do (undermine the bargaining power of fighters) and the Ali Act has worked very, very well and what it’s done is raise boxing purses to an unprecedented high level…It’s fair. These fighters risk their lives and health every time they step in the ring and they should be compensated and unlike the UFC fighters who fight for pittance, if that happened to boxing it would be a tragedy,” Arum said
The Reality
The current boxing landscape, with its four major sanctioning bodies, has created a confusing and frustrating environment. Instead of a clear hierarchy, there is often a list of “world champions,” “interim champions,” and “super champions” in a single weight class, which devalues the prestige of winning a title.
A promising fighter can also be stuck on an undercard for years, receiving minimal pay and exposure. The proposed “Contender Series,” which Dana White has discussed, could provide a clear path for these fighters to earn a professional contract and build a following. The UFC’s model has been successful at this, taking fighters like Sean O’Malley and Paddy Pimblett and turning them into stars.
Finally, Arum’s position is not without its irony. The original Ali Act was designed to prevent promoters from holding a monopoly, yet Arum has been accused of using his power to protect their fighters and make in-house matchups rather than risking them against a rival promotion’s talent.
