Roy Jones Jr. appeared on Fight Spider’s to bluntly warn about the direction American boxing could go if Dana White and Zuffa Boxing are successful in changing the Muhammad Ali Act. The Hall of Fame members met with host Andrew Bocanegra and former world champion Brian Mendoza for a wide-ranging conversation that quickly turned to the legislative efforts taking place in Washington.
Zuffa, which operates under the umbrella of the TKO Group, is pushing for a review of the Ali Act through proposed legislation called the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act. The framework would create the United Boxing Organization, a centralized structure modeled in part on the UFC. White said fighters who prefer to remain under the existing Ali Act could continue to do so, but opponents say the proposal would centralize the selection of fighters, lengthen endorsement contracts and concentrate control of the sport.
What was the original Ali Act created for?
The Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act was passed in 2000 to address what Congress viewed as long-standing abuses in professional boxing. The law concerned coercive contracts, conflicts of interest involving promoters and sanctioning authorities, and a lack of financial transparency. It also limits promoters from owning shares in the fighters they promote, which has shaped the business of American boxing for a quarter of a century.
Several recognizable figures in sports have expressed opposition to the revision of the law. Nico Ali Walsh and Oscar De La Hoya traveled to Washington to meet with senators and oppose weakening existing protections. Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, publicly defended the statute bearing his grandfather’s name. Senate Commerce Committee hearings earlier this year drew on testimony from boxing officials on both sides of the debate, including: Coverage from ESPN appearances by De La Hoya and TKO president Nick Khan.
Jones: ‘Our sport in this country is over’
Jones did not soften his language during the interview. He argued that what is presented as structural improvement carries consequences that militants do not fully consider.
“The problem is we act the same as everyone else,” Jones said. “Here they show you something good that will completely destroy you there. So they give it to you to make it look good, but actually they tear you apart.”
He framed the issue in terms of identity, saying that the nature of boxing depended on the ability of fighters to operate as individuals rather than as employees within a single promotional system.
“If they do what they’re doing now, our sport in this country will be over,” Jones said. “You no longer have personality. You no longer have style. You no longer have individualism. You can no longer be an individual. Your place. You are just a sheep.”
McGregor comparison
Jones repeatedly returned to the financial argument, pointing to former UFC fighters who earned significantly more in boxing than during their MMA careers. He cited the 2017 Conor McGregor-Floyd Mayweather crossover fight as the clearest example of the divergence between the two business models.
“Some of your athletes left your sport, went into boxing and made more money in one or two fights than they made in their entire career with you,” Jones said. “If Conor McGregor made more money in one fight than in his entire career, why do I want your model in my game?”
He also expressed concerns about the influence of militants in a centralized system, arguing that consolidated control would limit the space for dissent.
“If they don’t like you or you say something against them, you can’t be world champion because they don’t like you and you don’t have anyone to fight on your side,” Jones said. “You better wake up.”
Financial warning
Bocanegra referenced the recent Senate hearing during the conversation, prompting Jones to end with a projection on what he believes a Zuffa-controlled structure would mean for fighter portfolios.
“It’s dead. It’s definitely going to kill him,” Jones said. “When you get to the point where you should be making $20 million and now you can’t make $2 million, it’s not going to look very good because that’s what’s going to happen.”
The entire interview is available on the Fight Spider’s website Primetime boxing show. Jones’ comments add another significant voice to a debate in which pointed differences remain between those in the established boxing industry and those who support Zuffa’s proposed restructuring of the sport.
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