Nico Ali Walsh authors letter endorsing Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act

Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of Muhammad Ali and former figurehead of opposition to the proposed Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act, has now reversed his position and authored a letter supporting the bill that urges the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation to advance it to the full Senate for consideration.

In his letter dated September 10, Walsh, who testified against the bill before the same committee in April of this year, says he’s proud of the changes he was able to affect to it during months-long discussions with “senators, policymakers, attorneys, and… anyone who could help strengthen the protections this legislation provides to boxers,” while trying to maintain his career as an active fighter.

Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced Ali Walsh’s endorsement on Senator Rosen's Official Senate Website today as an official Senate press release. 

“I’m honored to have the support of Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Nico Ali Walsh, for our bipartisan bill to revitalize the American boxing industry, and I’m incredibly grateful for his tireless work to improve this legislation,” said Senator Rosen. “Earlier this year, Nico testified before the Senate Commerce Committee and provided helpful feedback about much-needed improvements to the original bill introduced in the House. 

“The changes he advocated for were central to the drafting process, and I’m thankful for his work to ensure this bill aligns with his grandfather’s legacy to protect American boxers. As a result of this collaborative approach, our bipartisan legislation will help revitalize American boxing, while also providing meaningful health, safety, and economic benefits to boxers. I will continue working to ensure this bill becomes law.”

The announcement came hours before the committee, the same one that produced John McCain’s Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act 26 years ago, was set to take up the bill. 

They have since advanced it to the full Senate floor for consideration. 

If passed, it must still be reconciled with the House version (H.R. 4624) before the current congressional session ends.

While Ali Walsh says he’s proud of the changes made to the bill under his advice, including what he lists as “shorter promotional contracts, a meaningful path to free agency, transparent and accountable ranking systems, a clear firewall between promoters and UBO's and fighter managers and financial disclosure requirements,” many are making note of its failure to address several core complaints. 

For example, the bill allows fighters under 40 years of age to forego expensive pre-fight brain scans in favor of a standard checkup by a neurologist to satisfy their medical requirements to fight. Such checkups have no ability to detect brain injuries such as bleeding or lesions.  

Despite Walsh’s endorsement, several prominent figures in the boxing world remain opposed to the bill.

“Using Nico Ali Walsh as a prop to push forward a bill that clearly is written to benefit one promotional entity and just as clearly (to any elected official who bothers to even put it into ChatGPT) will result in lower pay for non-collectively bargained athletes is gross,” said Chris Mannix, senior writer for Sports Illustrated and boxing commentator on DAZN on his X account.

It was announced yesterday that Ali Walsh will resume his fighting career on Saturday, October 10, when he takes on undefeated Treavon Craycraft, live on CombatVisionTV from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas.

The full contents of Ali Walsh’s letter reads:

My name is Nico Ali Walsh. I am a professional boxer and the grandson of Muhammad Ali.

I will be candid: I strongly opposed the original version of this bill because I believed fighters deserved better. Over the past several months, I have fought hard for changes - meeting with senators, policymakers, attorneys, and speaking with anyone who could help strengthen the protections this legislation provides to boxers, while still trying to maintain my career as an active fighter. I am proud that many of the changes I fought for are now reflected in the bill before the Senate.

My grandfather fought for protections for fighters, inside the ring and out, and I will always stand on that principle. The changes I pushed for give fighters:

. Shorter promotional contracts

. A meaningful path to Free Agency

. Transparent and accountable ranking systems

. A clear firewall between Promoters and UBO's and Fighter Managers

. Financial disclosure requirements that hold UBO's to the same standards as traditional promoters

Those are not small changes. They give fighters more leverage, more transparency and more control over the decisions that shape their careers. That is exactly what I believe my grandfather fought for throughout his life.

I am proud of the progress that has been made, and I am proud of everyone who was willing to sit down and work through the hard parts of it. I support legislation that I believe better protects fighters while advancing my grandfather's legacy.

I express my support and encourage the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee to advance the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act (MAABRA), S. 5188 and the full Senate to support its passage.

Thank you for your consideration.