David Morrell says his loss to David Benavidez “woke me up”, and he’s motivated for his redemption fight against Imam Khataev at light heavyweight on July 12th in Queens, New York.
Morrell (11-1, 9 KOs) has worked on the mistakes he made against Benavidez, and is ready to show a new version of himself against the unbeaten 2020 Olympian Khataev (10-0, 9 KOs) in their 10-round undercard fight on DAZN PPV.
Morrell’s “Woke Me Up” Statement
“Losing that fight to Benavidez woke me up. I’m coming to hurt something,” said Morrell.
If Morrell can score a knockout of Khataev, that would be impressive, because he’s seen as the next Beterbiev in the eyes of some people. He has the power and the amateur pedigree to be a difficult opponent for Morrell.
Khataev Visa Issues Impact Fight?
“I don’t know. I don’t work for immigration. My manager didn’t call me and say anything. So, I’m working,” said David Morrell to Fighthype, reacting to being told that there are reports that his opponent, Imam Khataev, is having visa problems and might not be able to get into the U.S for their fight on July 12th. “I don’t know what happened with him.
If Khataev can’t enter the country, Turki Alalshikh will need to find a replacement quickly for Morrell. There are only 12 days before July 12th, and that doesn’t leave enough time to find a solid replacement.
It would be great if one of the super middleweights could move up to face Morrell if Khataev is unable to fight on that date. The light heavyweight division is lacking in quality fighters once you get past the top three or four fighters.
Rematch with Benavidez or Bivol/Beterbiev?
“I feel like I’m one of the youngest guys,” said Morrell when asked if he’d like to fight a rematch with David Benavidez or the winner of the Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev trilogy.
Benavidez isn’t going to be in a hurry to fight Morrell again after the punishment he took in that fight. He looked like he’d gotten the worst of it at the end. If Morrell makes a few adjustments by increasing his punch output, he’ll likely stop Benavidez because he has the better punching power.
“I’ve fought only twice in this division, and I’ve shown the world that I belong right there with those names. I’m more than willing to go up against any of those guys. I’m confident, I’ll put up a good fight, and I belong at the top with those names,” said Morrell.
It’s unlikely that Morrell will get a chance to fight the winner of the Bivol vs. Beterbiev fight. David Benavidez is next in line. However, if Morrell looks good in beating Imam Khataev and gets another solid win under his belt, he’ll be in a position to challenge for a world title.
Bivol and Beterbiev are getting old. Neither is expected to stay around for much longer. If Morrell can’t get a shot at one of the two before they retire, he’ll still be able to fight for the titles once they’re vacated. That could mean a rematch against Benavidez.
Last Updated on 06/30/2025
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