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āFelt like an uphill battleā: Oscar De La Hoya frustrated with Senate hearing on Ali Act
TL;DR
Oscar De La Hoya expressed frustration over a Senate hearing regarding the Ali Act, feeling that a decision had already been made. He remains optimistic that the Senate will consider improvements to the bill to protect fighters.
Key points
- Oscar De La Hoya testified at a Senate hearing on the Ali Act.
- He felt the hearing was an uphill battle with a predetermined outcome.
- De La Hoya hopes for improvements to the bill for fighter protection.
- The Ali Act has protected fighters for 26 years without complaints.
- Zuffa Boxing is attempting to change the Ali Act.
Mentioned in this story
Oscar De La HoyaGolden Boy PromotionsZuffa Boxing
Ali Act
Oscar De La Hoya, former professional boxer and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, testifies during a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing to "examine federal boxing laws" on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on April 22, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya couldnāt hide his dismay with how todayās Senate hearing on the Ali Act went, with certain interested parties lobbying to do away with it. Following the hearing today De La Hoya shared these thoughts on what took place.
āIt felt like that there was already a decision made beforehand, and it felt like an uphill battleā De La Hoya said of the senate hearing. āBut I really am optimistic that the Senate will take a look at the bill, dissect it, and maybe put some of our inputs into the new bill and hopefully clean it up and make it a better bill, enhance the bill for the betterment of the sport and the betterment of the fighter.
āThatās why weāre here today, to make sure the protection stays. With the current Ali Act, the Ali Act protects the fighter 100% and thereās a reason why we havenāt changed that bill in the last 26 years. Nobody has complained about it, nobody has said anything about it until Zuffa Boxing comes into the circle and tries to change everything, for a reason. Obviously, we know what those reasons are but it was very frustrating today but hopefully we can enhance the bill for the betterment of the fighter.
āHow safer can you make the sport where we have everything in place already. They keep on talking about ambulances and they keep talking about life insurance. Well, if you read the fine print ā because we got hold of a Zuffa contract ā if you read the fine print they do have life insurance in place, but guess who is the beneficiary? Zuffa. How crazy is that?!ā
De La Hoya vowed to continue fighting the good fight on behalf of fighters everywhere and also said he would continue to educate boxers who might sign with Zuffa on what theyāre actually opting into.
Q&A
What was Oscar De La Hoya's main concern during the Senate hearing on the Ali Act?
De La Hoya was concerned that there was a predetermined decision regarding the Ali Act, which he believes is crucial for protecting fighters.
Why is the Ali Act significant for professional boxers?
The Ali Act has been in place for 26 years and is designed to protect fighters, ensuring their rights and safety in the sport.
What changes are being proposed to the Ali Act by Zuffa Boxing?
Zuffa Boxing is lobbying to modify the Ali Act, which De La Hoya believes could undermine the protections currently afforded to fighters.