SenateS. 5188119th Congress
A bill to amend the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 to establish requirements for unified boxing organizations and to further enhance the well-being of professional boxers, and for other purposes.
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5188 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5188
To amend the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 to establish
requirements for unified boxing organizations and to further enhance
the well-being of professional boxers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 30, 2026
Mr. Cruz (for himself and Ms. Rosen) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 to establish
requirements for unified boxing organizations and to further enhance
the well-being of professional boxers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival
Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES.
The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to provide increased choice and opportunity to
professional boxers by allowing a professional boxer to choose
to participate in the alternative system offered by a unified
boxing organization; and
(2) to further enhance safety precautions that protect the
well-being of professional boxers.
SEC. 3. UNIFIED BOXING ORGANIZATIONS.
The Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 (15 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.)
is amended--
(1) in section 2 (15 U.S.C. 6301)--
(A) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the
following:
``(7) Physician.--The term `physician' means a doctor of
medicine, with a degree of Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of
Osteopathic Medicine, who is legally authorized to practice
medicine by the State in which the physician performs such
function or action.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(16) Unified boxing organization.--The term `unified
boxing organization' means an association, a league, or a
centralized industry organization in the private sector that--
``(A) organizes a professional boxing match in a
system in which a boxer under contract with such
association, league, or centralized industry
organization competes against another such boxer
pursuant to unified rules; and
``(B) implements a system for title belts for
boxers under contract with such association, league, or
centralized industry organization and may rely upon,
utilize, or recognize titles and rankings for such
boxers from an organization operating independently of
such association, league, or centralized industry
organization.'';
(2) in section 18(b) (15 U.S.C. 6309(b)), by adding at the
end the following:
``(5) Unified boxing organizations.--Any officer or
employee of a unified boxing organization who knowingly
violates, or coerces or causes any other person to violate,
section 21A shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned for not more
than 1 year or fined not more than $20,000, or both.''; and
(3) by inserting after section 21 the following:
``SEC. 21A. UNIFIED BOXING ORGANIZATIONS.
``(a) Alternative System for Compliance.--A unified boxing
organization shall be considered to be in compliance with the
requirements of this Act if the unified boxing organization meets the
requirements of section 5 and the conditions of this section with
respect to--
``(1) each boxer under contract with the unified boxing
organization; and
``(2) each covered match.
``(b) Safety and Industry Standards; Medical Examinations.--
``(1) In general.--A condition of this section is that a
unified boxing organization shall meet the requirements of
paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, in addition to the
requirements of section 5.
``(2) Special rule relating to knockouts.--In the case of a
boxer who suffers a knockout during a covered match, a unified
boxing organization shall require that, in addition to the
examinations required for such boxer under section
5(a)(1)(B)(iii), the boxer shall undergo the applicable
examinations described in such section relating to brain health
before the boxer may participate in a subsequent covered match.
``(3) Supplemental physical examinations for boxers who are
40 years of age or older.--
``(A) In general.--A unified boxing organization
shall ensure that a boxer who participates in a covered
match at the age of 40 or older has undergone, in
addition to the physical examinations required under
section 5(a)(1)(B)(iii) and paragraph (2) of this
subsection, as applicable, a supplemental physical
examination conducted by a licensed physician that
affirms the fitness of the boxer to safely participate
in a covered match.
``(B) Elements.--A supplemental physical
examination under subparagraph (A) shall include each
of the following:
``(i) A chest X-ray.
``(ii) A comprehensive metabolic panel
blood test.
``(iii) A urinalysis to measure the overall
health condition of the boxer.
``(C) Frequency.--The supplemental physical
examination to be conducted under subparagraph (A)
shall occur not less frequently than annually, except
that the chest X-ray required under subparagraph (B)(i)
shall occur not less frequently than once every 6
years.
``(c) Provision of Medical Care During Covered Matches.--
``(1) Ambulances.--A condition of this section is that a
unified boxing organization shall provide, in addition to the
ambulance required to be provided by the unified boxing
organization under section 5(a)(2), at least 1 additional
ambulance to be continuously present on site at a covered
match.
``(2) Ringside physician presence.--
``(A) In general.--A condition of this section is
that a unified boxing organization shall provide, in
addition to the licensed physician required to be
provided by such unified boxing organization under
section 5(a)(3), at least 1 additional licensed
physician to be continuously present at ringside during
a covered match.
``(B) Certification requirement.--Beginning on the
date that is 2 years after the date of the enactment of
this section, each physician required to be provided by
a unified boxing organization shall have a
certification obtained through a certification program
administered by the Association of Boxing Commissions
in partnership with the Association of Ringside
Physicians (or a successor organization).
``(d) Support Services.--A condition of this section is that,
during the period in which a boxer is under contract with a unified
boxing organization, the unified boxing organization shall ensure that
such boxer has each of the following:
``(1) Access to equipment and facilities for training and
rehabilitation at reasonable costs proximate to where the boxer
resides.
``(2) In addition to the health insurance provided to the
boxer under section 5(a)(4), an insurance policy in effect that
provides medical coverage for any injury sustained by the boxer
during the period of training for a covered match.
``(3) A medical coordinator assigned to the boxer to assist
the boxer with satisfying medical and licensing requirements
related to the participation of the boxer in a covered match.
``(e) Comprehensive Anti-Doping Program.--
``(1) Requirement.--
``(A) In general.--A condition of this section is
that a unified boxing organization shall have in effect
a comprehensive anti-doping program that includes
testing, and requirements related to such testing,
under this subsection.
``(B) List of prohibited substances and
penalties.--A unified boxing organization shall, on an
annual basis, publish, and make available to the
public, a list that identifies, with respect to the
preceding year--
``(i) each substance tested for under the
comprehensive anti-doping program of the
unified boxing organization; and
``(ii) each penalty imposed on a boxer
under paragraph (6).
``(2) In-competition testing.--
``(A) In general.--The unified boxing organization
shall ensure that testing is conducted in accordance
with paragraph (5) for not fewer than half the boxers
participating in each covered match organized by such
unified boxing organization for an event.
``(B) Timing.--Testing required under subparagraph
(A) shall--
``(i) occur during the period beginning on
the date of a weigh-in for a covered match and
ending on the date of the covered match; and
``(ii) determine whether a boxer is
positive or negative for each substance
prohibited by--
``(I) the boxing commission of the
State in which the covered match is
held;
``(II) in the case of a covered
match held within a reservation, the
tribal organization that meets the
requirements of section 21 and is
responsible for regulating the covered
match; or
``(III) in the case of a covered
match held in a State without a boxing
commission, the commission responsible
for regulating the covered match as
provided by section 4.
``(3) No-notice testing.--In addition to the testing
required under paragraph (2), during the period in which a
boxer is under contract with a unified boxing organization, the
unified boxing organization may conduct testing, with no
advance notice to the boxer and in accordance with paragraph
(5), to determine whether such boxer is positive or negative
for each substance prohibited by the unified boxing
organization.
``(4) Substances prohibited by unified boxing
organization.--The unified boxing organization shall prohibit
each substance prohibited as described in subclause (I) of
clause (ii) of section 7(a)(5)(B) (or, if no substance is so
prohibited, each substance listed as described in subclause
(II) of such clause), except that the unified boxing
organization may elect not to test a boxer participating in a
covered match for any substance that is not prohibited by the
boxing commission of the State in which the covered match is
being held or the tribal organization responsible for
regulating the covered match.
``(5) Administration of tests.--An independent third party
shall conduct the testing under paragraphs (2) and (3), which
shall include--
``(A) carrying out each such test;
``(B) determining the result of each such test; and
``(C) reporting a positive result of such a test
to--
``(i) the unified boxing organization
concerned;
``(ii) the boxing commission of the State
in which a covered match is held or the tribal
organization responsible for regulating the
covered match, as applicable; and
``(iii) the Association of Boxing
Commissions.
``(6) Penalties.--
``(A) In general.--A unified boxing organization
shall enforce any penalty imposed by, with respect to a
positive test result related to the testing conducted
under paragraph (2)--
``(i) the boxing commission of the State in
which a covered match is held or the tribal
organization responsible for regulating the
covered match, as applicable; or
``(ii) the Association of Boxing
Commissions.
``(B) Assessment for penalties.--In imposing a
penalty on a boxer for whom the independent third party
reports a positive test result under paragraph (2) or
(3), the Association of Boxing Commissions shall
consider--
``(i) the seriousness of the positive test
result in relation to the participation of the
boxer in a covered match; and
``(ii) the degree to which the boxer is at
fault for the positive test result.
``(7) Contract requirement.--A unified boxing organization
shall include in any contract entered into between the unified
boxing organization and a boxer regarding participation in
covered matches such terms and conditions as may be necessary
to require the boxer to submit to testing under this subsection
during the period of the contract.
``(f) Required Contract Provisions.--
``(1) In general.--In addition to the requirements
described in subsection (e)(7), a contract between a unified
boxing organization and a boxer shall meet each of the
following requirements:
``(A) The contract shall not prohibit, during the
90 day period ending on the last day of such contract,
the boxer from communicating with another unified
boxing organization or a promoter, provided that the
boxer may not enter into a new agreement before the end
of the term of the existing contract.
``(B) The contract shall--
``(i) specify the minimum payment that a
boxer would or will receive for participating
in a round of a covered match, which shall be
at least $200 per round scheduled; and
``(ii)(I) arrange for such boxer to fight
in a minimum of 1 covered match every 6 months;
or
``(II) ensure that such boxer is paid an
amount that is not less than 10 times the
minimum payment for 1 round specified under
clause (i), except that this subclause shall
not apply if an injury prevents the boxer from
fighting and the boxer is collecting insurance
for such injury pursuant to subsection (d)(2),
the boxer tests positive for a prohibited
substance, or the boxer refuses or is otherwise
unable to fight for reasons beyond the control
of the unified boxing organization, including
inability of the boxer to travel or the boxer's
failure to maintain relevant licensure.
``(C) Except as specified in paragraph (2), the
contract may not exceed 6 years.
``(2) Exception for first professional agreement; free
agency rights.--A contract between a unified boxing
organization and a boxer that constitutes the first
professional promotional agreement of the boxer shall not
exceed 3 years.
``(3) Application to all promotional contracts.--
Notwithstanding another provision of law, the protections
afforded to boxers under paragraphs (1)(A), (1)(C), and (2)
shall apply to any contract between a boxer and a promoter to
the same extent as those protections apply to a contract
between a boxer and a unified boxing organization.
``(g) Boxing Conduct Policy.--
``(1) In general.--A condition of this section is that a
unified boxing organization shall implement and ensure
compliance with a comprehensive boxing conduct policy that
prohibits a boxer, or any covered individual, who is directly
involved with or participates in a covered match from--
``(A) placing a bet or wager, directly or through a
third party, on the covered match; and
``(B) sharing nonpublic information with a third
party that is material to the performance of a boxer
participating in the covered match or the outcome of
the match for the purpose of assisting the third party
in placing a bet or wager on the covered match.
``(2) Compliance.--A unified boxing organization shall
implement and ensure compliance with procedures for monitoring
and enforcing compliance with the boxing conduct policy
implemented under paragraph (1) and enforce any suspension or
other penalty imposed by a State, territorial, or tribal boxing
commission.
``(h) Firewall Between Unified Boxing Organizations and Managers.--
A condition of this section is that a unified boxing organization shall
implement prohibitions against officers or employees of the unified
boxing organization, or any representative of the unified boxing
organization, who do any of the following:
``(1) Have any direct or indirect financial interest in the
management of a boxer in relation to the participation of the
boxer in a covered match.
``(2) Employ, or make a payment to, a manager who
represents a boxer who participates in a covered match,
except--
``(A) in the case of a boxer who acts as the
boxer's own manager; or
``(B) for any consideration paid by the unified
boxing organization to the manager under the contract
between the manager and the boxer.
``(3) Receive or request from a boxer a payment related to
the ranking of the boxer or the participation of the boxer in a
covered match--
``(A) including--
``(i) charging a boxer for participation in
a covered match in which the boxer will be
challenging a champion or defending a
championship; and
``(ii) any portion of an award won by the
boxer; and
``(B) excluding reimbursement paid by the boxer to
a unified boxing organization for reasonable expenses
incurred by the unified boxing organization on behalf
of the boxer in relation to the participation of the
boxer in a covered match, including any medical expense
and travel expense.
``(i) Boxing Commissions.--
``(1) Prohibition.--A condition of this section is that a
covered match may not be held, unless compliant with section
4--
``(A) in a State without a boxing commission; or
``(B) within a reservation under the jurisdiction
of a tribal organization that does not meet the
requirements of section 21.
``(2) Judges and referees.--A condition of this section is
that a unified boxing organization shall meet the requirements
of section 16.
``(j) Financial Responsibility.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), a condition of
this section is that a unified boxing organization shall be
financially responsible for the costs of meeting the
requirements of section 5 and the conditions of this section.
``(2) Cost of any deductible.--The cost of any deductible
for any health insurance required to be provided by the unified
boxing organization for a boxer shall be the financial
responsibility of the boxer.
``(k) Disclosure Requirements.--
``(1) Compliance with current state athletic commission
disclosure requirements.--A condition of this section is that
for each covered match, a unified boxing organization shall
comply with all disclosure requirements that the boxing
commission of the State in which the covered match is held or
the tribal organization responsible for regulating the covered
match has required of promoters.
``(2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section shall
be construed to preempt or limit the authority of any boxing
commission of a State or territory, or any tribal organization,
to establish or enforce disclosure requirements.
``(l) Federal Trade Commission Filing.--
``(1) In general.--A condition of this section is that, on
the date on which a unified boxing organization intends to
claim status as a unified boxing organization for purposes of
this section, the unified boxing organization shall submit to
the Federal Trade Commission and to the Association of Boxing
Commissions information regarding the unified boxing
organization, including the following:
``(A) The State in which the unified boxing
organization is incorporated.
``(B) The business address of the unified boxing
organization.
``(C) The website of the unified boxing
organization.
``(2) Information regarding ratings.--For any unified
boxing organization that implements a system for boxer ratings
that such organization controls, manages, or operates, a
condition of this section is that the unified boxing
organization shall, not later than January 31 of each year,
submit to the Federal Trade Commission and the Association of
Boxing Commissions--
``(A) a complete description of the ratings
criteria and policies of the organization;
``(B) the bylaws of the organization;
``(C) the appeals procedure of the organization for
a boxer's rating, if applicable; and
``(D) a list and business address of the officials
of the organization who vote on the ratings of boxers,
if applicable.
``(3) Format; updates.--To meet the condition of this
subsection, the unified boxing organization shall--
``(A) provide the information described in
paragraph (1) and (2)--
``(i) in writing; and
``(ii) for any document greater than 2
pages in length, in electronic form; and
``(B) promptly notify the Federal Trade Commission
of any material change in the information submitted.
``(4) Availability of information.--The Federal Trade
Commission--
``(A) shall make information received under this
subsection available to the public; and
``(B) may assess the unified boxing organization a
fee to offset the costs the Commission incurs in
processing the information and in making the
information available to the public.
``(5) Internet alternative.--In lieu of submitting the
information described in paragraph (1) or (2) to the Federal
Trade Commission, a unified boxing organization may provide the
information to the public by maintaining an internet website
that--
``(A) is readily accessible by the general public
using generally available search engines;
``(B) for full access to the information, does not
require a password or payment of a fee;
``(C) contains the information in a format that is
easy to search and use; and
``(D) is updated when there is a material change in
the information.
``(m) Relationship With State Law.--Nothing in this section may be
construed to prohibit a State from adopting or enforcing--
``(1) supplemental laws or regulations not inconsistent
with this section; or
``(2) criminal, civil, or administrative fines for
violations of such laws or regulations.
``(n) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Covered individual.--The term `covered individual',
with respect to a boxer who participates in a covered match,
means any of the following:
``(A) An adult living in the same household as the
boxer.
``(B) A coach, manager, or athletic trainer of the
boxer.
``(C) A physician or other medical professional who
provides services to the boxer.
``(D) An employee, officer, or director of the
unified boxing organization concerned.
``(E) An agent of any such person who is directly
involved with or participates in a covered match.
``(2) Covered match.--The term `covered match' means a
professional boxing match organized by a unified boxing
organization.
``(3) First professional promotional agreement.--The term
`first professional promotional agreement' means the initial
contract entered into between a boxer and a unified boxing
organization, if the boxer has not previously been a party to
any promotional agreement with any promoter or unified boxing
organization in connection with participation in a professional
boxing match.
``(4) Reservation; tribal organization.--The terms
`reservation' and `tribal organization' have the meanings given
those terms in section 21.''.
SEC. 4. BOXING INDUSTRY STANDARDS.
(a) Boxer Safety and Industry Standards.--Section 5 of the
Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 (15 U.S.C. 6304) is amended--
(1) in the section heading, by inserting ``and industry''
after ``safety'';
(2) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking ``No person'' and inserting the
following:
``(a) Health and Safety of Boxers.--No person''; and
(B) by inserting ``, at a minimum,'' after ``that
provides'';
(3) in subsection (a), as so designated--
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) Physical examination.--
``(A) In general.--A physical examination of each
boxer by a physician certifying whether or not the
boxer is physically fit to safely compete, copies of
which shall be provided to the boxing commission by
such physician.
``(B) Minimal medical requirements.--
``(i) In general.--A physician may certify
as required under subparagraph (A) only if the
examinations described in clause (iii) are
conducted, which examinations shall be valid
only for the amount of time prior to a match
indicated in such table.
``(ii) Validity.--No examination shall be
valid unless it is conducted by a physician, in
person, and includes a written opinion that the
result of such examination does not
contraindicate that a boxer is able to compete
safely.
``(iii) Required examinations.--The
examinations described in this clause are those
set forth in the following table:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
``Required examinations Validity
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Complete physical examination, including blood work 1 year
Dilated eye examination 1 year
Heart examinations (Electrocardiogram, and for a boxer age 40 or older, a stress test) 1 year
Antibody tests (Negative Human Immunodeficiency Virus antibody, Hepatitis B antigen, and Hepatitis 6 months
C antibody)
Brain health examinations (For a boxer age 40 or older, a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scan and a 1 year
magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the brain; for a boxer under age 40, an MRI of the brain
or neurologic examination conducted by a neurologist)
In the case of a female fighter, a pregnancy test 14 days'';
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by striking ``Except'' and inserting
``Ambulance; equipment.--Except''; and
(ii) by striking ``an ambulance or medical
personnel'' and inserting ``an ambulance and
medical personnel'';
(C) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
``(3) Physician.--A physician continuously present at
ringside who, beginning on the date that is 2 years after the
date of the enactment of the Muhammad Ali American Boxing
Revival Act of 2026, shall have a certification obtained
through a State boxing commission, medical board, or a
certification program administered by the Association of Boxing
Commissions in partnership with the Association of Ringside
Physicians, or any successor organization.''; and
(D) by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows:
``(4) Insurance.--For each boxer, health insurance that--
``(A) provides a minimum of $50,000 in medical
coverage for any injuries sustained in the match and
$15,000 in accidental death coverage for any fatality
arising from such match; and
``(B) with respect to any premium, is not the
financial responsibility of the boxer.''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) Minimum Payment to Boxers.--A promoter or unified boxing
organization shall pay a minimum of $200 to each boxer for each round
in a match in which the boxer participates.''.
(b) Review.--Section 7(a) of the Professional Boxing Safety Act of
1996 (15 U.S.C. 6306(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(5) Procedures to ensure that--
``(A) drug tests are administered--
``(i) for any title match; and
``(ii) at random for all other matches; and
``(B) such drug tests screen, at a minimum, for--
``(i) if the boxing commission with
jurisdiction over the match (or the tribal
organization (as defined in section 21) that is
regulating the match) prohibits the use of one
or more substances, each substance so
prohibited; or
``(ii) if no substance is prohibited as
described in clause (i)--
``(I) each substance prohibited by
the Association of Boxing Commissions;
or
``(II) if no substance is
prohibited as described in subclause
(I), each substance listed in the most
current edition of `The World Anti-
Doping Code, The Prohibited List
International Standard' of the World
Anti-Doping Agency.''.
(c) Judges and Referees.--Section 16 of the Professional Boxing
Safety Act of 1996 (15 U.S.C. 6307h) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 16. JUDGES AND REFEREES.
``No person may arrange, promote, organize, produce, or fight in a
professional boxing match unless all referees and judges participating
in the match have been certified and approved by--
``(1) the boxing commission responsible for regulating the
match in the State where the match is held; or
``(2) the Association of Boxing Commissions.''.
(d) Technical Amendment.--Paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 21(a)
of the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 (15 U.S.C. 6312(a)) are
amended by striking ``25 U.S.C. 450b'' and inserting ``25 U.S.C.
5304''.
SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPLICATION.
The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date of
the enactment of this Act and shall apply with respect to professional
boxing matches that take place on or after the date that is 180 days
after such date of enactment.
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