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United States · Bill · S

S. 305 (106th)

Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

25 January 1999

Last action

10 September 1999 · Referred

Status

Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Sponsors

Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ], Sen. Bryan, Richard H. [D-NV], Rep. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND-At Large], Sen. Abraham, Spencer [R-MI]

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

23 March 2026

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act - Amends the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 to require that any contract between a boxer and a promoter or manager include mutual obligations between the parties, specify a minimum number of professional boxing matches (match or matches) per year for the boxer, and set forth a specific period of time during which the contract will be in effect, including any provision for extension of that period due to the boxer's temporary inability to compete because of an injury or other cause. Limits to 12 months the period for which promotional rights to promote a boxer may be granted under a contract between the boxer and a promoter, or between promoters with respect to a boxer, if such rights are required as a condition for the boxer's participation in a match against another boxer who is under contract to the promoter. Prohibits a promoter exercising promotional rights with respect to such boxer during the 12-month period beginning on the day after the last day of the promotional right period from securing exclusive promotional rights from the boxer's opponents as a condition of participating in a professional boxing match against the boxer. Specifies that any contract to the contrary shall be considered to be in restraint of trade and contrary to public policy, and unenforceable. Prohibits: (1) a promoter or a sanctioning organization from requiring a boxer, in a contract arising from a match that is a mandatory bout under the organization's rules, to grant promotional rights to any promoter for a future match; and (2) a licensee, manager, matchmaker, or promoter from requiring a boxer to employ, retain, or provide compensation to any individual or business enterprise recommended or designated by that person as a condition of such person's working with the boxer or arranging for the boxer to participate in a match or as a condition of such boxer's participation in a match. Declares that: (1) a contractual provision between a promoter and a boxer, or between promoters with respect to a boxer, that violates this Act's prohibition regarding promotional rights under mandatory bout contracts is contrary to public policy and unenforceable; and (2) in any action brought against a boxer to recover money for acting as a licensee, manager, matchmaker, or promoter for the boxer, the court, arbitrator, or administrative body may deny recovery under the contract as contrary to public policy if the employment, retention, or compensation that is the subject of the action was obtained in violation of this Act. Prohibits: (1) a promoter from having a direct or indirect financial interest in the management of a boxer; or (2) a manager from having a direct or indirect financial interest in the promotion of a boxer or from being employed by or receiving compensation or other benefits from a promoter, except for amounts received as consideration under the manager's contract with the boxer. Allows a boxer to act as his own promoter or manager. (Sec. 5) Requires a sanctioning organization that sanctions matches on an interstate basis to: (1) establish objective and consistent written criteria for the ratings of professional boxers; (2) establish and publish an appeals procedure that affords a boxer rated by that organization a reasonable opportunity, without the payment of any fee, to submit information to contest its rating of the boxer (under which the organization shall, within 14 days after the boxer's request, provide to the boxer a written explanation of the organization's criteria and its rating of the boxer and submit a copy to the President of the Association of Boxing Commissions of the United States and to the boxing commission of the boxer's domiciliary state); (3) provide to a boxer such organization rates in its top ten a written explanation of the reasons for any change in such rating within 14 days after changing the boxer's rating, mailed to the boxer at the boxer's last known address, post a copy within the 14-day period of the notice and the explanation of its Internet website or homepage, if any, for not less than 30 days, and mail a copy of the notice and the explanation to the President of the Association of Boxing Commissions; and (4) submit to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), by January 31 of each year, a complete description of the organization's ratings criteria, policies, general sanctioning fee schedule, bylaws, and appeals procedure and a list and business address of the organization's officials who vote on boxer ratings. Directs the FTC to make information received under this section available to the public. Authorizes the FTC to assess sanctioning organizations a fee to offset the cost it incurs in processing the information and making it available to the public. Authorizes a sanctioning organization, in lieu of submitting the required information to the FTC, to maintain a website on the Internet that meets specified requirements. Prohibits an officer or employee of a sanctioning organization from receiving any compensation, gift, or benefit directly or indirectly from a promoter, boxer, or manager, but allows the receipt of: (1) payment by a promoter, boxer, or manager of such organization's published fee for sanctioning a match or reasonable expenses in connection therewith if the payment is reported to the responsible boxing commission; or (2) a gift or benefit of de minimis value. (Sec. 6) Requires a sanctioning organization, before sanctioning a match in a State, to provide to the State's boxing commission a written statement of: (1) all charges, fees, and costs the organization will assess any boxer participating in that match; (2) all payments, benefits, complimentary benefits, and fees the organization will receive for its affiliation with the event from all sources; and (3) such additional information as the commission may require. Requires that before a match organized, promoted, or produced by a promoter is held in a State, the promoter provide to the appropriate State boxing commission a written statement containing: (1) a copy of any agreement to which the promoter is a party with any participating boxer; (2) a statement made under penalty of perjury that there are no other agreements between the promoter and the boxer with respect to that match; and (3) a written statement of all fees, charges, and expenses that will be assessed by or through the promoter on the boxer pertaining to the event and of all payments, gifts, or benefits the promoter is providing to any sanctioning organization affiliated with the event. Directs a promoter, upon request, to make information received under this section available to the chief law enforcement officer of the State in which the match is to be held. Makes the requirements of this section inapplicable to a match scheduled to last less than ten rounds. (Sec. 7) Sets penalties for violation of anti-exploitation, sanctioning organization, or disclosure provisions. Provides for civil actions by the chief law enforcement officer of a State and for private rights of action. (Sec. 8) Defines "suspension" to include the revocation of a boxing license. Requires that each State boxing commission establish procedures to ensure that (with exceptions) no boxer is permitted to box while under suspension from any boxing commission due to unsportsmanlike conduct or other inappropriate behavior inconsistent with generally accepted methods of competition in a match.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 25 January 1999

    Introduced

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 25 January 1999

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S979-980)

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 25 January 1999

    Introduced

    Introduced in Senate

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 22 April 1999

    Committee

    Committee on Commerce. Hearings held.

    Source: Committee

  5. 5 May 1999

    Reported

    Committee on Commerce. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.

    Source: Committee

  6. 21 June 1999

    Calendars

    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 161.

    Source: Calendars

  7. 21 June 1999

    Reported

    Committee on Commerce. Reported to Senate by Senator Lott for Senator McCain with amendments. With written report No. 106-83.

    Source: Committee

  8. 21 June 1999

    Reported

    Committee on Commerce. Reported to Senate by Senator Lott for Senator McCain with amendments. With written report No. 106-83.

    Source: Committee

  9. 27 July 1999

    Floor

    Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S9444-9447)

    Source: Floor

  10. 27 July 1999

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.

    Source: Floor

  11. 29 July 1999

    Introduced

    Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

    Source: IntroReferral

  12. 29 July 1999

    Introduced

    Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

    Source: IntroReferral

  13. 29 July 1999

    Floor

    Message on Senate action sent to the House.

    Source: Floor

  14. 29 July 1999

    Floor

    Received in the House.

    Source: Floor

  15. 10 September 1999

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

11 official files

Referred in House (text)

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Sponsors

Related records

Sources

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