Imam Khataev

Imam Khataev
Personal information
Full nameImam Abdulayevich Khataev
National teamRussia
Born (1994-08-31) 31 August 1994 (age 31)
Sport
SportBoxing
Medal record
Men's Amateur Boxing
Representing Russia ROC
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo Light-heavyweight
Representing  Russia
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Tashkent Light heavyweight

Imam Abdulayevich Khataev (Russian: Имам Абдулаевич Хатаев, IPA: [ɪˈmam xɐˈta(ɪ̯)ɪf]; born 31 August 1994) is a Russian boxer.[1] He competed in the men's light heavyweight event at the 2020 Summer Olympics,[2] where he was defeated by Briton Benjamin Whittaker by a score of 4–1 in the semifinals.[3]

Biography and career

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Imam Khataev was born on August 31, 1994 in Kulary village, Chechen Republic. His first professional trainer was Shamil Batsagov.[4]

In 2015 he participated in the Russian Championship in Samara.[4]

In 2017 he received the title of Master of Sports of international class.[4]

He turned pro in 2021, but continued to compete in the amateur ranks alongside his pro career until 2023, when he won the bronze medal at the World Boxing Championships in Uzbekistan.[5] Since then, he has fought exclusively as a professional.

Khataev won all of his first ten professional fights, including nine by KO. He eventually faced David Morrell on July 12, 2025, in New York City. A former WBA Super-middleweight and light-heavyweight Regular champion, Morrell was considered a major step-up in class for Khataev. On July 8, the International Testing Agency, under the auspicies of the IBA, revealed that Khataev had tested positive for clomifene in April of that year.[6] While Khataev was suspended for two years by the IBA, the bout was allowed to continue, evidently due to the IBA's limited jurisdiction.

Despite knocking Morrell down in the fifth round (the first knockdown of Morrell's career), Khataev lost a controversial 10-round split decision, handing him his first defeat.[7]

Professional boxing record

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11 fights 10 wins 1 loss
By knockout 9 0
By decision 1 1
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
11 Loss 10–1 David Morrell Jr. SD 10 12 Jul 2025 Louis Armstrong Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.
10 Win 10–0 Druval Palacios UD 10 22 Mar 2025 Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia
9 Win 9–0 Yunior Menendez TKO 3 (10) 1:30 7 Dec 2024 SC Coliseum, Grozny, Russia
8 Win 8–0 Ezequiel Maderna TKO 7 (10) 0:45 5 Sep 2024 Montreal Casino, Montreal, Canada Won NABF Light Heavyweight title
7 Win 7–0 Ričards Bolotņiks TKO 6 (10) 1:34 11 May 2024 RAC Arena, Perth, Australia
6 Win 6–0 Michał Ludwiczak TKO 2 (10) 2:17 13 Jan 2024 Videotron Centre, Quebec City, Canada Won vacant NABF Light Heavyweight title
5 Win 5–0 Fernando Galvan TKO 2 (8) 0:44 14 Nov 2023 Montreal Casino, Montreal, Canada
4 Win 4–0 David Benitez TKO 3 (8) 2:30 11 Oct 2023 Montreal Casino, Montreal, Canada
3 Win 3–0 Gi Sung Gwak TKO 2 (8) 0:28 12 Mar 2023 Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia
2 Win 2–0 Adam Trenado KO 1 (8) 1:50 16 Jul 2022 Lebane Square, Lebane, Serbia
1 Win 1–0 Ismat Eynullayev TKO 1 (4) 2:03 3 Nov 2021 Grozny, Russia

References

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  1. ^ "Imam Khataev". Olympedia. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Boxing: Men's Light Heavy (75-81kg)" (PDF). Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Imam Khataev wins bronze in the men's light heavy; Whittaker through to final". Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Порой денег не было даже на автобус: что известно о бронзовом призере Олимпиады в Токио по боксу Имаме Хатаеве". Комсомольская Правда (in Russian). 1 August 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  5. ^ "Путин поздравил новоиспеченных чемпионов мира по боксу". rsport.ria.ru (in Russian). 16 May 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  6. ^ "The ITA reports that boxer Imam Khataev has been sanctioned with a 2-year period of ineligibility". ITA Sport. 8 July 2025.
  7. ^ Owen Lewis (12 July 2025). "David Morrell Jnr holds off Imam Khataev in brutal 10-rounder". Boxing Scene.
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