David Morrell says he’s coming into his fight against 2020 Olympian Imam Khataev with “bricks” in his fists for their scheduled 10-round fight on July 12th at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York.
Morrell vs. Khataev Preview
Morrell (11-1, 9 KOs) wants to prove his doubters wrong by making a statement against the unbeaten Khataev (10-0, 9 KOs) in their undercard fight. Morrell vs. Khataev will be streamed on DAZN PPV as part of a loaded card put on by Turki Alalshikh.
Some boxing fans believe that the former two-division world champion Morrell is done, and is no longer seen as one of the major players at 175 following his loss to David Benavidez last February. In that fight, Morrell had the wrong strategy to deal with the high-volume offense of Benavidez.
The way to win would have been to go after him early with combinations with full power. Instead, Morrell focused on boxing, loading up with occasional shots, and allowing Benavidez to pile up the rounds with high output.
Khataev has the same nonstop punching style as Benavidez, albeit being slower and focusing on power with his shots. If Morrell hasn’t learned from his loss to ‘The Mexican Monster,’ he’ll lose to him.
Khataev’s Unbeaten Record
Khataev’s opposition has been so poor since he turned pro in 2021 that it’s impossible to know if he’s any good. We know he has a record of 90-23 in the amateurs, but he hasn’t fought a talented fighter since 2021, when he lost to Ben Whittaker. By now, Khataev’s promoters should have already stepped him up against world-class opposition, given that he has Olympic experience.
“I’m coming to hurt something,” said David Morrell in a press release about his fight against Imam Khataev on July 12th. “I know Khataev is strong and undefeated, but he hasn’t been in there with this version of me. He’s good, yeah, but I’m better. I’m faster, I’m smarter, and I’m coming into this fight with bricks in my fists.
“A win here? Man, it changes everything. It puts me back on the map. All the top guys are gonna have to look my way again,” said Morrell.
Benavidez Loss Lessons
A victory for Morrell could change things for his career, but he’s got to look impressive. He can’t get beat up like he did in his loss to Benavidez and come out of the fight with his stock risen. He needs to show that he’s learned from that loss, and can let his hands go more because he doesn’t throw enough punches.
The warning signs were already there for Morrell when he fought Radivoje Kalajdzic last August. He made that fight harder than it should have been by failing to jump on him.
When Morrell did let his hands go early, he had Radivoje hurt and ready to be stopped. But he didn’t follow up with a consistent attack. The blueprint was already there on how to stop him with the way that Artur Beterbiev knocked him out. Morrell did the opposite, choosing to throw occasional shots and dance around on the outside.
Last Updated on 06/30/2025
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