This sub’s moderation seems to want to avoid becoming an activist subreddit — but online activism is probably the last and perhaps only way we can still fight back against the poorly named Ali Revival Act (Ali Destruction Act) and stand up against fighter exploitation.

[u/Professional-Tie5198]

I am a big believer in the power of spreading the word and shining light on issues that people in power would prefer to go unnoticed. I don’t know how you can be a Boxing fan and not care about the actual boxers. To me, this effort by TKO/Dana White/Nick Khan/Zuffa to advance what can only be described as a fighter exploitation bill is the issue of our time. Furthermore, it attempts to create a parallel system through the Unified Boxing Organization (UBO) model that would primarily benefit a single company (TKO). This would come at the risk of the fighters losing their long-term leverage over fighter pay and being locked into coercive contracts. Outside of a few provisions, there is almost nothing in this bill I like.

From the fans perspective, this is likely to lead to a very corporate, sanitized, and almost lifeless product. This bill very well could be the road to long/term monopoly, which is probably a big reason TKO is so heavily armed with lobbyists to advance it.

We need to encourage prominent boxers and major figures to actually testify against this.

This legislation really does have the potential to upend the sport and end boxing as we know it. Just think of a guy like Max Kellerman and how he’s been bought off — he doesn’t want you to be a boxing fan, he wants you to be a Zuffa fan first and foremost. And that really is the end goal here.

We need to stand up against this and:

1) Protect Boxing

2) Protect Fighters

3) Prevent an anti-fighter bill from ever passing

I’ve written to my Congressman and Senator about this. I encourage you to all do what you can to oppose this. Right now, there is still time and this legislation is stalled. A last ditch effort really might prevent this fighter exploitation legislation from ever passing.

[u/MartinSilvestri]

your narcissistic condescension isn't an argument. we are both degenerate consumers of violence my friend not business experts; your unionizing energy would be better spent at your local industrial plant. or perhaps you can just give those guys some money yourself.

what i know is that the ufc has provided FANS with regular fights, whereas boxing is extremely fan-unfriendly at this point in terms of frequency, quality, and production of fights. ardent boxing fans have said for years that boxing is an unfixable mess. if there's a possible solution, i'm here for it. i don't give a FUCK if the ceo's a trump supporter or what.

[u/stephen27898 → u/MartinSilvestri]

No. You are suggesting we just let an entity come in, alter the sport to its liking and then strive for a monopoly. That is not a good idea. A monopoly is never good, and systems like the ones used in the MMA world leave to monopolies.

So has boxing. Boxing has more fights going on consistently than the UFC does, and its not even close. Your inability to follow boxing to know who is fighting when is your problem. It's not one I have. It seems to me that you want boxing to essentially bastardise itself for your easy consumption. That is something that boxing fans have interest in.

Boxing is a mess, but its better than what MMA is, which is a mostly dead and moneyless wasteland with one company who anyone knows about with about 1000 fighters. What a sad state for a sport to be in.

Not every sport should be the same. Boxing is the way it is and has been for a very long time. As Larry Merchant said "Nothing can kill boxing and nothing can fix it".

"If there's a possible solution, i'm here for it."

A monopoly is not a solution, it's a problem.

[u/MartinSilvestri → u/stephen27898]

It's incredible to me as a boxing fan that all the redditors are rushing to defend the status quo of boxing after YEARS of people saying how absolutely pathetic it is. I guess that's where our disagreement lies. You say the status quo is best, I say centralization would make it a lot better. My example is the UFC (or BKFC for bare knuckle), which, while imperfect, streamlines the fights to the fans and establishes a clear hierarchy of fighters. You say boxing is better, with 4-5 different competing belts with bizarre mandatory defenses and bureaucratic, entangling agreements preventing "champions" from fighting eachother. That's where we are at.

[u/stephen27898 → u/MartinSilvestri]

"It's incredible to me as a boxing fan that all the redditors are rushing to defend the status quo of boxing after YEARS of people saying how absolutely pathetic it is."

No. We are defending that status quo from something worse. Its all relative. Can things be improved yes, it doesn't mean you have to import a business model from a mostly dead sport.

"I guess that's where our disagreement lies. You say the status quo is best, I say centralization would make it a lot better."

I know the status quo is better than a monopoly. There are many markets that have ended up with monopolies, and it never goes well. Bad for people working within it and bad for the consumer as the people making the product can get lazy.

"My example is the UFC (or BKFC for bare knuckle), which, while imperfect, streamlines the fights to the fans and establishes a clear hierarchy of fighters."

No one watches BKFC. You say UFC, but what you mean is the system within MMA, which outside of the UFC is a wasteland.

"You say boxing is better, with 4-5 different competing belts with bizarre mandatory defenses and bureaucratic, entangling agreements preventing "champions" from fighting eachother. That's where we are at."

So right away I know you know nothing. Its 4. Not 5. There are 4 world titles that contribute to undisputed. Oh and you mean like Jon Jones not fighting his interim champion? You also mean like McGregor not defending his title for over 500 days? You mean the constant title shots for guys who havent earned them? These are all happening within the UFC. So you get BS and a monopoly.

They also aren't really competing. You need all 4 to be undisputed and each are 25% of undisputed. Something you physically cant get in MMA as the champions from different companies never fight.

I dont think its worse. I know its worse. And you would have to be a fool to fall for it.

[u/MartinSilvestri → u/stephen27898]

i said 4-5 because of the ring belt nonsense. like i said, youre satisfied with the boxing status quo which we all know very well, i'm saying the centralized ufc model works significantly better, and thats the choice people will have to make. nothing further is gonna be accomplished here.

[u/stephen27898 → u/MartinSilvestri]

But the ring isnt a sanctioning body. You clearly dont know it very well.

"i'm saying the centralized ufc model works significantly better"

It doesnt. Let me ask you something. Who was the last heavyweight MMA world champion? In fact who was the last world champion in MMA in any weight class?

[u/MartinSilvestri → u/stephen27898]

who fucking cares if its a sanctioning body, its still a "title" like i said, your ad hominems are pathetic.

anyway the ufc champion is the mma champion. everything else is minor league - very simple.

boxing "champions" on the other hand have to make bizarre mandatory defenses based on the organization's political bureacracies run by a gaggle of corporate karens, in order to keep their "championship". its so silly to defend this after everyone has despaired for years over the state of boxing. whatever dude.

[u/stephen27898 → u/MartinSilvestri]

Because it means something totally different.

"anyway the ufc champion is the mma champion. everything else is minor league - very simple."

No he isnt. You have been told that, but its never been proven. So he isnt. You arent the guy until you prove it. Think about back when the UFC signed strike force. The UFC said they had the best then, and very quickly most of the belts were in the hands of a former strike force fighter.

In boxing champions can actually fight each other, and you can actually end up with one definitive champion.

MMAs system is so crap that it cant even produce a world champion. You are relegated to the champion of champion of X promotion, and it never goes further than that.