Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Nico Ali Walsh, is leading a newly formed alliance that opposes changes to federal laws protecting professional boxers.

More than thirty boxing figures have formed the Ali Act Preservation Alliance in response to proposed amendments to the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act.

The group says its goal is uncomplicated: defend protections established under Muhammad Ali’s original Boxing Reform Act of 2000, rules intended to prevent promoters from simultaneously controlling fighters’ contracts, rankings and championship opportunities.

Ali Walsh, grandson of the heavyweight legend after whom the law is named, has become the public voice of the movement.

“As Ali, I am completely opposed to changing the Muhammad Ali Act,” wrote Walsh in X. “My grandfather fought for it to protect fighters from being cheated. Remove it and promoters take control and fighters make less.”

The Alliance questions the proposed changes

The Ali Act Preservation Alliance argues that the proposed Revival Act could open the door to a system in which promoters or league-style organizations operate with control over rankings, championships and matchmaking.

As World Boxing News explained after the Ali Act amendments were introduced in Congress, the legislation currently pending in the U.S. Senate would allow up-to-date entities known as United Boxing Associations to operate alongside the conventional sanctioning bodies that have long governed the structure of boxing championships.

Supporters of the bill say the reforms could modernize the sport by strengthening minimum wage standards, improving medical coverage and allowing up-to-date organizational models to compete in the boxing market.

But critics say the same framework could also blur the lines between promoters and management bodies, which Ali’s original bill was intended to separate.

The alliance’s statement warns that if these boundaries disappear, fighters could lose negotiating power while promoters gain control over many aspects of the business.

The debate grows as legislation progresses

WBN followed the progress of work on the Ali Revival Act throughout the legislative process.

Previous reports have examined how this bill was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in over twenty-five years, bringing the most significant change to federal boxing law since 2000 a step closer to reality.

A separate analysis also examined how the legislation could put pressure on sanctioning authorities by offering competitors alternative routes that bypass conventional championship fees.

The debate across sports continues to escalate.

During fight week, Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman in Las Vegas, Premier Boxing Champions belts have emerged around the event, reigniting debate over whether league-style titles could ultimately function in conjunction with boxing’s long-established four-belt system.

The alliance represents the first coordinated intra-box opposition to proposed legislation heading toward a Senate decision.

Concerns about the structure of boxing championships

The newly formed alliance also argues that creating separate championship structures could further complicate the sport’s existing title system.

The group’s statement said the introduction of up-to-date league-controlled belts that cannot be unified with conventional titles could make it impossible to win undisputed championships in the future.

That possibility is at the center of a growing divide between those who see the Rebirth Act as a modernization and those who fear it could further fracture the boxing championship structure.

For now, the bill is being considered in the Senate.

As the debate continues, the formation of the Ali Act Preservation Alliance signals that the opposition in boxing is beginning to organize – led by the grandson of the man whose name defines the law at the center of the dispute.

About the Author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.