Oscar De La Hoya says proposed changes to the Muhammad Ali Act could allow Zuffa Boxing to operate under a model similar to the UFC, including stricter control over fighter pay. The Golden Boy promoter made the comments during his latest social media segment, linking the legislation to the entry of Zuffa Boxing into the sport.
De La Hoya said he has already been contacted about the issue and expects to be involved as the process continues in Washington. “They even invited me to Washington DC later this month to be part of their hearing,” he said, referring to discussions about proposed amendments to the Muhammad Ali Act.
The current law, which has been in effect since 2000, is designed to protect fighters from exploitative contracts and ensure financial transparency between promoters and athletes. De La Hoya argued that changing those protections would benefit promoters aligned with the new model rather than fighters.
“They want to operate just like the UFC,” De La Hoya said during his ‘Clapback Thursdays’ this week, warning that changes could lead to centralized control of rankings, titles and pay structures. He added that such a system could reduce earning potential for fighters compared to the existing open market model in boxing.
“They literally come into boxing to do the same thing they do to the UFC fighters. They make up their own rankings and their own rules,” De La Hoya said.
He has publicly linked the push for this bill to Dana White’s relationship with President Trump, suggesting that Zuffa is banking on those political ties to get the bill signed into law this year.
The House hearing he mentioned had some surprising votes. While critics like Bob Arum and Eddie Hearn agree with Oscar, the bill actually gained support from people like Lonnie Ali (Muhammad Ali’s widow) and Mike Tyson, who argued that it “modernizes” the sport.
With the bill moving to the Senate, it sounds like Oscar’s trip to DC later this month will be his big chance to lobby against it before it hits the president’s desk.
No final decision has been made on the proposed amendments, which still require further legislative approval. De La Hoya has indicated that he intends to oppose the changes as the process moves forward.
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Last updated on 03/27/2026 at 02:53
