Press Releases

Today, Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) delivered the following remarks, as prepared for delivery, on the House Floor in support of H.R. 4624, Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act of 2026, bipartisan legislation to modernize professional boxing, strengthen fighter protections, and restore integrity to the sport:
 
“For much of the 20th century, boxing stood at the heart of American sports and culture. It gave us legends like Christy Martin, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Jack Dempsey, and Muhammad Ali. 

“But the sport today looks very different.

“For too long, professional boxing has operated under an outdated patchwork of regulations that leaves fighters vulnerable to injury, exploitation, and limited opportunity.

“The Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act would bring the sport into the modern era. This bipartisan legislation would create new frameworks to enhance safety standards, expand opportunities for fighters, and restore integrity to the sport—revitalizing one of America’s most iconic sports.

“This bipartisan bill would allow Unified Boxing Organizations (UBOs) to operate alongside existing sanctioning bodies. That means more options for fighters and more choice in how they compete. 

“For boxers fighting within UBOs, the bill would strengthen health and safety protections.

“The legislation also extends stronger safety protections and increases wages for all professional boxers—whether they compete inside or outside a UBO.

“In short, the bill gives boxers more choice, better pay, and stronger safety protections, while encouraging the growth and modernization of this historic sport.

“Muhammad Ali once said, 'don’t count the days; make the days count.'

“Today we have the opportunity to make this day count—for the fighters who step into the ring, for the future of this sport, and for the integrity of competition itself.

“For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 4624.”

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