Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act
Public Law 106-210 · H.R. 1832 · 106th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on May 26, 2000 · Sports and Recreation
Sponsor: Rep. Michael Oxley (R-OH-4)
Cosponsors (16): Rep. Eliot Engel, Rep. Pete King,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act - Amends the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 (the Act) to direct the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) to develop and approve by a vote of at least a majority of its member State boxing commissioners guidelines for: (1) minimum contractual provisions that should be included in bout agreements and boxing contracts; and (2) objective and consistent written criteria for the ratings of professional boxers. Expresses the sense of Congress that State boxing commissions should follow such guidelines.
Declares that a contract provision shall be considered to be in restraint of trade, contrary to public policy, and unenforceable, against any boxer to the extent that it contains a coercive provision as provided in this Act and that: (1) it is for a period greater than a year; or (2) the other boxer under contract to the promoter came under that contract pursuant to a coercive provision. Specifies that no subsequent contract provision extending any rights or compensation covered herein shall be enforceable against a boxer if the effective date of the contract containing such provision is earlier than three months before the expiration of the relevant time period. Makes this paragraph applicable to any contract between a commercial broadcaster and a boxer, or granting any rights with respect to that boxer, involving a broadcast in or affecting interstate commerce, regardless of the broadcast medium.
Prohibits a boxing service provider from requiring a boxer to grant any future promotional rights as a requirement of competing in a professional boxing match (match) that is a mandatory bout under the rules of the sanctioning organization.
Prohibits a sanctioning organization from receiving any compensation, directly or indirectly, in connection with a match until: (1) it provides the boxers with notice that the sanctioning organization shall, within seven days after receiving a request from a boxer questioning that organization's rating of the boxer, provide to the boxer a written explanation of the organization's criteria, its rating of the boxer, and the rationale or basis for its rating (including a response to any specific questions submitted by the boxer), and submits a copy of its explanation to the ABC; and (2) with respect to a change in the rating of a boxer previously rated by such organization in the top ten boxers, the organization posts a copy, within seven days of such change, on the Internet website or home page, if any, including an explanation of such change, for a period of not less than 30 days, and provides a copy of the rating change and explanation to an association to which at least a majority of the State boxing commissions belong.
Prohibits a sanctioning organization from receiving any compensation, directly or indirectly, in connection with a match unless, not later than January 31 of each year, it submits to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and to the ABC: (1) a complete description of the organization's ratings criteria, policies, and general sanctioning fee schedule; (2) the bylaws of the organization; (3) the appeals procedure of the organization for a boxer's rating; and (4) a list and business address of the organization's officials who vote on the ratings of boxers.
Requires a sanctioning organization to: (1) provide such information in writing and, for any document greater than two pages in length, also in electronic form; and (2) promptly notify the FTC of any material change in the information submitted.
Directs the FTC to make such information received available to the public. Allows the FTC to assess sanctioning organizations a fee to offset the costs it incurs in processing the information and making it available to the public. Permits a sanctioning organization, in lieu of submitting the information required above to the FTC, to provide the information to the public by maintaining a website on the Internet that: (1) is readily accessible by the general public using generally available search engines and does not require a password or payment of a fee for full access to all the information; (2) contains all the information required to be submitted to the FTC in an easy to search and use format; and (3) is updated whenever there is a material change in the information.
Sets forth provisions regarding required disclosures: (1) to State boxing commissions by sanctioning organizations; (2) for promoters; and (3) for judges and referees.
Provides that neither a boxing commission nor an Attorney General may disclose to the public any matter required to be furnished by a promoter under this Act, except to the extent required in a legal, administrative, or judicial proceeding. Specifies that if a State law governing a boxing commission requires that such information be made public, a promoter is not required to file such information with such State if the promoter files such information with the ABC.
Prohibits any person from arranging, promoting, organizing, producing, or fighting in a match unless all referees and judges participating have been certified and approved by the boxing commission responsible for regulating the match in the State where the match is held.
Amends the Act to prohibit: (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. Specifies that this provision does not prohibit a boxer from acting as his own promoter or manager, and that it only applies to boxers participating in a boxing match of ten rounds or more.
Prohibits an officer or employee of a sanctioning organization from receiving any compensation, gift, or benefit from a promoter, boxer, or manager, except for the receipt of: (1) payment by a promoter, boxer, or manager of a sanctioning 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) the receipt of a gift or benefit of de minimis value.
Amends the Act to set penalties for violation of anti-exploitation, sanctioning organization, or disclosure provisions. Authorizes specified civil actions by States and a private right of action by any boxer suffering economic injury because of a violation of this Act. Provides that nothing in this Act authorizes enforcement against the FTC, specified Federal or State officers or entities, or a boxer acting in his capacity as a boxer.
Amends the Act to: (1) define "promoter" to exclude a hotel, casino, resort, or other commercial establishment hosting or sponsoring a professional boxing match unless the establishment is primarily responsible for organizing, promoting, and producing the match, and there is no other person primarily responsible for organizing, promoting, and producing the match; and (2) include the Virgin Islands within the definition of "State" under the Act. Defines "suspension" to include revocation of a boxing license.
Requires each boxing commission to establish procedures to: (1) ensure that no boxer is permitted to box (with exceptions) 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; and (2) review a suspension where appealed by a licensee, manager, matchmaker, promoter, or other boxing service provider (currently limited to appeals by a boxer).
Changes the renewal period for professional boxer identification cards from two to four years.
Provides that if no State commission is available to supervise a boxing match: (1) the match may not be held unless it is supervised by an association of boxing commissions to which at least a majority of the States belong; and (2) any reporting or other requirement relating to a supervising commission allowed under the Act shall be deemed to refer to such entity.
Expresses the sense of Congress that a boxing commission should, upon issuing an identification card to a boxer, make an appropriate health and safety disclosure to that boxer, including the risks associated with boxing (in particular, the risk and frequency of brain injury and the advisability that a boxer periodically undergo medical procedures designed to detect brain injury).
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Education and Workforce Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Workforce Protections Subcommittee
Energy and Commerce Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 22 actions.
- May 26, 2000Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 106-210.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- May 23, 2000PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- May 22, 2000Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Oxley moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments.
- Apr 7, 2000FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Nov 8, 1999FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Bliley moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Nov 5, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Education and Workforce Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Sep 29, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Sep 24, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Jun 29, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Jun 15, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Jun 4, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Workforce Protections Subcommittee of the House Education and Workforce Committee
- May 17, 1999CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Education and Workforce Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.