Dana White's boxing dreams receive brutal reality check as journalist claims the promotion will struggle to recruit fighters: "It's illegal"

Dana White's new boxing league will mirror the UFC's structure. However, boxing journalist Dan Rafael recently highlighted the various legal issues that the UFC CEO could run into, at least in the United States, if he were to model his boxing league after the UFC.

On BoxingScene Today, ex-professional boxer Paulie Malignaggi brought up the TKO boxing league's plans to have its own rankings and titles, arguing that sanctioning bodies like the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO could remove boxers from their own rankings if they sign with White's promotion.

This caused Rafael to bring up the dubious legality of TKO boxing's plans.

"I could absolutely see that, but one thing, I think, everybody has to understand, and they're gonna have to figure this out, and Dana even said to me in my interview with him, he says, 'We gotta figure this out essentially.' You as a promotional company, league, promotional company, whichever terminology you choose to use, having your own rankings and having your own belt is against the federal Muhammad Ali Reform Act."

The only path for White's new boxing league to operate on U.S. soil with its own rankings system and championship belts would be to have the Muhammad Ali Reform Act rescinded.

"Maybe there'll be a movement to have that federal law rescinded, which obviously if it is, then that would open up their ability to have their own rankings and their own belts and that sort of thing. But as we stand today, that is illegal and against the law of the United States of America."

Check out Paulie Malignaggi and Dan Rafael's criticisms of Dana White's boxing plans (16:19):

The Muhammad Ali Reform Act is a federal law that requires titles and rankings to be independent from promotions, while also requiring promotions to be financially transparent and limit contract lengths, which are foreign to White's business dealings.

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There could be another solution to Dana White's boxing woes

Others, including MMA analyst Luke Thomas, have also expressed their reservations about Dana White's boxing league. However, on BoxingScene Today, Paulie Malignaggi brought up a potential avenue for the UFC CEO to evade the Muhammad Ali Reform Act.

"What about the Middle East, Dan? The Ali act only applies inside the United States, right? Can they just run their operation out of the Middle East and never even bring it here? Do that and never have to rescind the Muhamma Ali Act."

Check out Paulie Malignaggi's alternative for Dana White's promotion:

Another solution would be for the UFC CEO to use his close friendship with U.S. president Donald Trump to try and rescind the Muhammad Ali Reform Act.