By Luke Furman
IBF light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev (13-0, 13 KOs) is not throwing in the towel when it comes to his contractual battle with promoter Yvon Michel of GYM.
Beterbiev had been inactive for a year, because he attempted to break away from GYM.
As BoxingScene.com reported back in June, judge Frederic Bachand issued a ruling in Michel's favor - which solidified that his contract with Beterbiev was valid until 2021.
After the ruling was issued, Beterbiev's lawyers filed an appeal.
He believes that his contract with Michel has expired.
For the moment, a co-promotional deal was reached between Michel and Eddie Hearn - which saw Beterbiev return to the ring last Saturday night in Chicago, where got off the floor to score a knockout over Callum Johnson.
A hearing on Beterbiev's appeal is looking more likely for 2019.
"I have no contact with Yvon and I do not talk to him anymore," Beterbiev said to The Montreal Journal.
"I leave this job to my agents, Rodolphe Beaulieu and Philippe Lepage, who negotiate with him. For the fight against Callum Johnson, they are the ones who put everything in place. It's like building a wall between me and Yvon."
But Michel made it clear to the paper, in response to those statements, that he doesn't negotiate directly with any of his boxers.
"I never have to talk business with my boxers," Michel said.
"I always negotiate with the managers or agents of my athletes. This is the case of Artur, and also with Eleider Alvarez, Adonis Stevenson and others.
"For the fights of Artur, it is Rodolphe and Philippe who discuss things with me and they are excellent. On the other hand, the difference between Artur and the others, for the moment, is that I maintain friendly relations that have nothing to do with business."
Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org