Khataev seeks redemption vs. Rivera after defeating Morell

Imam Khatayev will face Richard Rivera in a 10-round light heavyweight bout on December 11 at the Lac Lemy Casino in Gatineau, Canada.

Rebuilding after Queens

WBA No. 7 ranked Khataev (10-1, 9 KOs) will look to bounce back from last summer’s loss to David Morrell on July 12 in Queens, New York.

It was a close fight that highlighted the pros and cons of Khatayev’s bout for the 2020 Olympic bronze medalist. He fought through the first period and dropped Morell in the fifth round with a big right hand.

Late in the fight, Khataev faded and looked weak as Morel unloaded on him with combinations. Fortunately for him, Morell was inexplicably retreating rather than resorting to the knockout blow. It was a strange performance from Cuban, like a cat playing with its food. He seemed to want to fire Khatayev.

Rivera: Veteran gatekeeper

A few years ago, Rivera was viewed as a prospect in the 175-pound division. His career momentum has slowed since suffering a 10-round split decision defeat to Badou Jack on August 20, 2022. Rivera won four fights before losing to punching great Luis Antonio Tejeda by an eight-round majority decision last year in the Dominican Republic on March 2, 2024.

Khataev must prove his pedigree by knocking out Rivera, 34, to be taken seriously as a future world champion or even a worthy contender for a world title fight. Rivera is not a top-tier fighter at this point in his career. For him, going the distance would reflect poorly on Khatayev.

The question of stamina comes back

Imam’s loss to Morel was the second straight performance in which he was gassed in the later rounds. The way he faded in the latter half of the contest highlighted the flaws in his game. Initially, he resembled Beterbiev 2.0 in his power game and the way he took the fight to his opponent. His stamina makes him unbeatable.

Dan Ambrose has been covering boxing since 2011, providing reliable information on the biggest fights in the sport.