By Ruslan Chikov
The legal battle continues between WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm and his former promoters Universum. Sturm claims that his promotional agreement with Universum expired in August 2009.
Universum boss Klaus-Peter Kohl is disputing Sturm's version of the facts. He claims Sturm signed a three year contract in 2006 with a three-year extension attached. Kohl says the extension was exercised, making Sturm a Universum fighter until 2012. He says Sturm was given a signing bonus for the 2006 contract and is now failing to meet his contract obligations.
"In 2006, although he had then lost by knockout, we signed him to a new contract with options until 2012. As part of this deal, he was given a six-figure sum of money and millions more in stock options. He collected his money, but now he won't meet his own obligations. I will refute Sturm's claim that the promoter has earned more money than the boxer. I have long been silent. Now everything is on the table," Kohl was quoted as saying by Golzka.
"I continue to believe that Felix received bad advice. It is always a great risk for boxers, when they believe that they reached the top - but in reality they are only really on their way there."
