MANY are expecting a barnstormer, filled with violence rather than technical prowess, to unfold when David Morrell and Imam Khataev collide this Saturday.
In fairness, it is tempting to look at both light-heavyweight contenders – their muscular frames built for destruction – and anticipate an all-action war, almost as if they have been expertly designed as Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots.
One can only imagine, too, that a spectacle of such brutality has played out in the dreams of Turki Alalshikh, a man who continually expresses his disdain for Tom and Jerry-style matchups.
But while their encounter could, indeed, make for an enthralling battle, Morrell, 11-1 (9 KOs), would equally be foolish to abandon his superior skill set and go straight for the jugular, leaving himself exposed to a barrage of explosive attacks in the process.
Instead, the Cuban is far more likely to adopt a measured approach, maintaining a tight defensive shape while, at the same time, utilising his fluid feet to create a series of offensive angles.
That way, his footwork – refined inside the bustling gyms of his home nation, before the decorated amateur defected for the US – should represent a decisive factor at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, New York.
Khataev, 10-0 (9 KOs), meanwhile, appears to be crafted more from the mould of a Hummer – rather than a much smoother Rolls-Royce, that is – as he gears up for the toughest assignment of his career.
In his last outing, the 30-year-old seemed to run short of ideas – not knowing, exactly, how best to cut off the ring – before claiming a unanimous victory against his somewhat limited opponent.
So the fact that, at best, he looked as though he was forced to trudge though an off-night, and at worst, his feet were stuck in mud, Khataev’s performance does not quite present a compelling case that, against Morrell, his success will be greatly increased.
It is important not to forget, either, that Morrell comes off a far more dynamic display against David Benavidez, whose aggressive style is, in every facet, a drastically enhanced version of Khataev’s.
And despite losing to the WBC world champion, Morrell nonetheless proved, if not previously, that he is a handful for any elite-level operator at 175lbs.
The southpaw’s added degree of class, then, should ultimately be too bamboozling for Khataev, a sturdy yet unproven contender who, at this stage, remains several tiers below his opponent’s level.
David Morrell vs Imam Khataev prediction
Morrell will establish his jab early doors, picking Khataev apart with a series of counters, before elevating his intensity in the later rounds.
At which point, the 27-year-old would have built a sizable lead, dancing rings around his more static opponent while also matching his power.
Then, as Khataev withstands further punishment, the referee is given little choice but to draw an appropriate halt to the one-sided contest.
