Former Olympic champion and WBA junior flyweight titlist Brahim Asloum has retired from boxing, a surprising move pushed by an inability to fight in France.

"I still want to (box) but I have to stop because it has become impossible to organise a boxing event in France", Asloum, who is involved in a legal dispute with French television channel and fight promoters Canal Plus, told the France 2 channel.

This sounds like something that will end if and when he's able to find a fight. Asloum (24-2, 10 KO) last fought in April, knocking out unheralded Humberto Pool in three rounds.

Asloum won the WBA's junior flyweight title in 2007, his last fight before the April bout. Asloum beat Juan Carlos Reveco via unanimous decision. It was Asloum's only career fight at 108 pounds. He came into the sport fighting at bantamweight (118), and went as high as 120 for one fight. He generally fought at flyweight (112), losing his two biggest fights against Lorenzo Parra and Omar Narvaez, both title shots.