Imam Khataev’s promoters want a rematch with light heavyweight contender David Morrell in Montreal after their fighter lost a 10-round split decision last Saturday night at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York.
Khataev Loss: Promoter Disagrees
Khataev’s promoter, Camille Estephan, says Morrell got a “Christmas gift”, and he doesn’t agree with the decision. The judges’ scores were 95-94 for Khataev, 96-93, and 95-94 for Morrell.
Khataev, 31, was at his best in the first half of the contest, as he took advantage of Morrell repeatedly covering up against the ropes. He was allowing Khataev to get off with his shots. In the fifth, Morrell was dropped by a looping right hand from Khataev and appeared hurt after he got back to his feet.
The fight changed entirely after the fifth. Morrell boxed well in rounds 6 through 10 and hurt Khataev with vicious combinations in the final two rounds.
Khataev looked on the verge of being knocked out by Morrell in the final 20 seconds of the tenth round. Morrrell caught Imam with a left that staggered him. However, Morrell missed badly with attempts to finish him by throwing wildly.
The DAZN commentators gave the impression that Khataev was getting the better of Morrell with their praise of him. However, when turning off the sound, it told another story. Morrell clearly got the better of Khataev and won the final five rounds comfortably.
Morrell’s “Christmas Gift” Win?
“One thing’s for sure: David Morrell got his Christmas gift early, because that was a terrible decision—not just for Imam Khataev, but for the integrity of the sport. Maybe we should invite Morrell to our turf, at the Centre Vidéotron, for a rematch,” said Camille Estephan, president of EOTTM.
Morrell did win that fight, but it was close. Khataev fought well, but it wasn’t enough. The reason he survived was that Morrell was inconsistent with his offense. He frequently let Khataev off the hook when he hurt him in rounds 5, 6, 9, and 10. The killer instinct was not there for Morrell.
“I’m not really sure what fight the judges were watching […]. Imam Khataev seemed to control the pace, land the cleaner shots, and deliver the heavier punches,” noted Mike Coppinger, journalist for The Ring Magazine.