Boxing
Muhammad Alis Grandson Exploited as a Prop Following Controversial Ali Act Reversal
Muhammad Ali’s grandson Nico Ali Walsh has gone from opposing legislation carrying his grandfather’s name to becoming one of its most prominent supporters, prompting accusations that he is being “used as a prop” to help push it through.
The Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act advanced out of the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday, with Senator Ted Cruz repeatedly pointing to Ali Walsh’s involvement and endorsement when presenting the revised legislation.
Cruz said the bill now contains stronger protections for fighters “thanks to our work with Nico Ali Walsh” and praised the boxer for helping ensure legislation carrying Muhammad Ali’s name was worthy of his legacy.
It was a remarkable turnaround from earlier this year, when Ali Walsh opposed the proposals and argued that his grandfather’s name should be removed if sufficient protections were not included.
Ali Walsh insists there is a simple explanation: the legislation changed.
Ali Walsh Defends U-Turn
Ali Walsh says he helped secure significant protections before agreeing to support the revised legislation.
Those changes include shorter promotional contracts, a route toward free agency, greater transparency around rankings, separation between UBOs/promoters and fighter managers, and additional financial disclosures.
“This Revival Act is NOT the old one,” Ali Walsh stated while defending his position.
When questioned over whether he had been offered any incentive to change sides, Ali Walsh rejected the suggestion.
“My incentive is that this law affects ME directly as an active boxer. And I’m an Ali. I’m always drawn to do what’s right for my name and my career.”
However, broadcaster Dan Canobbio was among those unconvinced by the dramatic change of position, accusing those behind the legislation of “using Nico Ali Walsh as a prop” to help advance it.
The timing has inevitably placed Ali Walsh at the center of a battle he was previously fighting from the opposite side.
The Central Concern Remains
The revised bill would allow league-style Unified Boxing Organizations to operate alongside traditional promoters.
There is one important point in its favor. Boxers have a choice. Nobody has to sign with Zuffa Boxing or another UBO, and fighters who prefer the traditional system can continue down that road.
But World Boxing News has long stated that turning boxing into a UFC-style league is not what the sport needs.
WBN exclusively spoke to Marvin Hagler’s grandson James Hagler Jr. during the original debate after Nick Khan invoked Hagler’s name during his Senate testimony.
Hagler warned that fighters could become “basically like a slave to the promoter” if too much control was handed to one organization.
That concern has not disappeared because changes were made to the bill.
The original Ali Act was designed to protect professional boxers from exploitative business practices, including coercive contracts. Critics still question whether the new UBO structure gives one organization too much control once a fighter signs up.
Fighter Pay Is the Big Test
The biggest concern will always be how much of the money reaches the fighters.
Boxers put their lives on the line every time they step through the ropes. A system that results in them receiving a considerably smaller percentage of the money generated by the sport is not an ideal scenario.
The UFC has already faced that backlash from its own fighters. A long-running antitrust case ended with a $375 million settlement covering more than 1,000 fighters who competed between 2010 and 2017 and alleged the company used its position and exclusive contracts to suppress compensation. UFC denied wrongdoing.
Boxing does have one significant difference because fighters can choose whether they want to enter the new league system.
The biggest danger could come lower down the ladder.
Young boxers offered an opportunity by a major league may sign without the representation needed to understand what that agreement could mean if they become a star several years later.
Ali Walsh believes the protections he fought for will help prevent that from happening, and he deserves credit for getting changes made before putting his name behind the bill.
Whether those changes go far enough is now the argument.
Ali Walsh changed the bill. What remains to be seen is whether he changed the part that caused so much opposition in the first place.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.
Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.
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