Light heavyweight contender Imam Khataev will now take on former world title challenger Adam Deines at the Lac Leamy Casino, Gatineau, on December 11.

Khataev, The Ring's No. 7-rated light heavyweight, had been tabbed to face Richard Rivera before the American withdrew from their fight booking with an unspecified injury.

This will mark the 31-year-old's first appearance since dropping a close 10-round decision to David Morrell on Ring III at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York on July 12.

Despite the change in opponent, the mission remains the same as he seeks to force his way towards further big fights at 175-pounds.

"I watched Artur Beterbiev's fight against Deines four years ago, Adam's a worthy opponent and a very experienced professional boxer," Khataev told The Ring.

"I'm taking this fight very seriously. I and the fans know that it should have been my hand raised, not Morrell, I'm coming into this fight full of confidence and my mindset is to make a statement on December 11 - looking to put nothing less than a stellar performance.

Khataev (10-1, 9 KOs) was a decorated amateur, winning bronze at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2023 World Championships. He turned pro between those tournaments in November 2021, with slow early progress before signing with Eye of The Tiger.

He scored impressive wins over experienced Richards Bolotniks (TKO 6) last May and four months later against Ezequiel Maderna (TKO 7). He stepped up and gave Morrell all he could handle before suffering a contentious career-first professional defeat on July 12.

Deines (24-3-1, 14 KOs) turned professional in 2015 and won his first seven fights before being held to a draw by Karel Horejsek before besting his rival with a sixth-round stoppage during their direct rematch, propelling him forward.

The 34-year-old German southpaw came up short despite dropping Fanlong Meng (UD 12) during their IBF eliminator in June 2019 but after rebounding with a win was able to face then-unified champion Beterbiev in Moscow.

Despite producing a solid effort on away territory, he was stopped in 10 rounds in March 2021. Since then, he's won five of his six appearances - the lone loss to another 175-pound contender within EOTT's stable, Albert Ramirez after seven rounds in August 2024.