Boxing now confronts a shift: private leagues, modeled after MMA, are emerging as platforms for rising fighters. These leagues promise exposure and opportunities to earn, but fighters worry about low pay relative to the revenue they generate. UFC stars have long criticized their earnings despite producing massive profits. UFC argues that feeding many athletes limits top pay, unlike the NFL or NBA, which distribute about 50% of league revenue to players.
Dana White plans to launch Zuffa Boxing in 2026, staging 12 events for prospects under uniform financial terms. The league aims to cultivate future stars for high-purse Riyadh Season fights. This system could evolve into a closed league with recurring events, mirroring the UFC’s model.
Legal Shift Challenges the Ali Act
Congress introduced the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Resurgence Act last July to allow new league structures. Representatives Brian Jack and Sharice Davids support the proposal, with backing from Saudi investors and TKO Group, which owns UFC and WWE. The new law would let promoters bypass traditional sanctioning bodies, control rankings, belts, and rules, and centralize authority.
The original Ali Act protected boxers’ rights, mandating transparency, safety measures, and fair compensation. The new bill favors corporate-led competition, potentially weakening promoters and reducing athletes’ negotiating power.
Legends Warn Against Commercial Control
Evander Holyfield criticized the bill in the Wall Street Journal, arguing it threatens boxer autonomy. “Boxers control their destiny in the ring,” he said. “This law hands that control to businessmen, lowering wages and standards.”
Holyfield emphasized the original Ali Act’s protections, including health checks, ringside doctors, insurance, and financial transparency. Nonito Donaire’s manager warned that new leagues could strip boxers of bargaining power, leaving champions with titles but little income.
The sport faces a crossroads: maintain tradition and athlete protections or embrace a commercialized league model prioritizing profit over boxer rights.
