Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of the legendary Muhammad Ali, has been spending less time in the boxing ring lately and more time in Washington D.C., in order to protect the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act from being effectively replaced by the proposed Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act.
In a recent interview with iFL TV, Walsh explained his opposition to the Revival Act, which he believes would strip away the boxer protections his grandfather helped put in place in the early 2000s.
“My grandfather passed the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act in the early 2000s. It was made, to put it simply, to protect us figh ters, to give us figh ters rights and empowerment that we didn’t have when he was fig hting,” Walsh said.
Central to Walsh’s concerns is Zuffa Boxing, Dana White’s new venture into boxing, and the Revival Act’s push to create an alternative regulatory structure that Walsh believes mirrors the UFC model.
“The way that the UFC is structured, the way that the UFC figh ters are paid, they’re trying to bring that to boxing, which I don’t agree with at all. The UFC is notoriously known for not paying their fig hters fairly. So that is something that should not be added into boxing because boxers right now are making amazing paydays, at least the best of the best,” he said.
Walsh was direct about the fact that his opposition is not personal.
“I don’t dislike Dana at all. I don’t dislike Zuffa at all. I don’t dislike anyone involved with them. It’s nothing personal. It’s strictly business. I’m standing up for what I believe in,” he said.
His three core demands for any revised legislation are fig hter transparency, shorter contract lengths, and fair pay. He believes a middle ground is reachable.
“I do believe that there’s enough good ethical people on both ends of the fence, my side and Zuffa Boxing, where I do believe boxing will win at the end of the day,” he said.
Walsh also addressed why he in particular has taken up this cause.
“Ali is my name. And it’s so close to me for that reason. Obviously it affects me directly as an active professional boxer. The only reason that I’m able to speak out on it and people are listening to me is because I am an Ali. And it’s my grandfather’s name that they’re using,” he explained.
He acknowledged that others in the sport have been reluctant to speak out, suggesting they fear losing opportunities by challenging such powerful entities.
“Whenever you speak out against the machine, there’s always a fear of losing opportunities. We know that these guys are just so powerful,” he said, adding that he refuses to be silenced.
Walsh is also targeting a return to the ring in August after around seven months away, and says fans will see a new and improved version of himself when he does.
