Imam Khataev: Can The “Next Beterbiev” Upset David Morrell In A Must-Win Fight?

The light heavyweight clash between former two-division world champion David Morrell and 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Imam Khataev hasn’t attracted much fan interest for their 10-round fight on July 12th in Queens, New York.

Morrell vs Khataev: Overlooked Fight

The low placement on the undercard of Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz and Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda event has added to the Morrell-Khataev fight being overlooked by fans. The fight is buried at the bottom of the card. The event will be shown on DAZN PPV from the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York.

In terms of entertainment value, Morrell vs. Khataev should be the co-feature on the July 12th card because it promises to have more fan-friendly action than the Stevenson-Zepeda fight. The track star, Shakur, is going to be running all night from Zepeda, and it’ll be nowhere near as interesting for fans as the Morrell-Khataev clash.

Morrell’s Benavidez Loss Fallout

Morrell (11-1, 9 KOs) is looking to bounce back from his 12-round unanimous decision loss to David Benavidez on February 1st. He needs to show in his fight against the unbeaten light heavyweight contender Khataev (10-0, 9 KOs) that he’s learned from his defeat to Benavidez. Morrell made mistakes in that fight by not letting his hands go, standing flat-footed in front of the volume puncher Benaviez, and fighting in spurts.

Despite his loss, Morrell is ranked high at #2 WBA, #2 WBC, and #3 WBO. This fight against Khataev is vital for the Cuban Morrell, 27, to show that he’s got the talent to be a top fighter at 175. He’s got the youth, but the mental flaws that he showed against Benavidez could hold him back if he’s not able to learn from them.

Khataev: Next Artur Beterbiev?

The Russian Khataev, 30, is seen by some as the next Artur Beterbiev with his heavy hands, volume punching, and the nonstop pressure he puts on his opponents. Khataev has got that Beterbiev style to him that could be a nightmare for Morrell unless he can box and move the way that Ben Whitaker did in his three-round split decision victory over him in 2021. Morrell has got the power advantage over Khataev, but he can’t match his output.

Since turning pro in 2021, Khataev has faced weak opposition and has defeated all but one of them. He’s ranked #6 IBF, #8 WBC, #10 WBA, and #15 WBO. It’s a big step up for Khataev to be facing Morrell after the 10 low-level fighters his promoters have matched him against, but he’s got the amateur experience to win this fight. As an amateur, Khataev had a record of 90-23. He defeated two-time Olympic gold medalist Arlen Lopez by a three-round majority decision in 2023