The welterweight division continues to have Karen problems.
BoxingScene has confirmed that the IBF has called for final elimination contest between Karen Chukhadzhian and Paddy Donovan, its two highest rated available contenders. A 15-day negotiation period was assigned for the proposed matchup, with the two sides required to reach a deal by March 5 to avoid a purse bid hearing.
Ukraine’s Chukhadzhian, 26-3 (14 KOs) is represented by P2M-Box Promotion, while Ireland’s Donovan, 14-2 (11 KOs) is promoted by Matchroom Boxing.
The winner will become the sanctioning body’s next mandatory challenger. Its current titlist, Lewis Crocker, 22-0 (11 KOs), is already due to face Australia’s Liam Paro, 27-1 (16 KOs) this spring in either Brisbane or on the Gold Coast.
Donovan was previously in line to face Paro in a sanctioned final eliminator earlier this year. The bout was scrapped, however, when the Limerick native fell ill during training camp and was forced to withdraw on short notice.
Given the timing, the IBF ruled to advance Paro – the sanctioning body’s No. 2 contender at 147 – to the mandatory slot.
The development has left Donovan out of the ring since his own two-fight set with Belfast’s Crocker. Their pair of 2025 bouts represent the lone two defeats on Donovan’s ledger. He was ahead on all three scorecards (69-63, 69-63, 67-65) and legitimately floored Crocker in the 8th round of their March 1 meeting.
However, it was the second knockdown that cost him the fight and his perfect record.
Donovan floored Crocker with a right hook, marginally after the bell sounded. Referee Marcus McDonnell was out of position to properly separate them at the time, but the in-ring ruling was that Donovan failed to honor the verbal command, thus resulting in the disqualification verdict.
Crocker won their September 13 rematch via split decision to claim the vacant IBF title. Donovan was floored twice, which provided the margin of victory for his bitter rival (114-112 and 114-113 Crocker, 115-111 Donovan).
The Andy Lee-trained Donovan had stopped each of his previous five opponents before the pair of fights with Crocker in Belfast.
Chukhadzhian continues to remain in the title frame even after twice falling short on that stage.
The 29-year-old contender was outpointed by then-IBF 147lbs titleholder Jaron “Boots” Ennis in January 2023 and again in their October 2024 rematch – both fights representing his lone trips to the U.S., or anywhere outside of Europe.
Chukhadzhian’s first setback to Ennis snapped a 20-fight win streak after suffering a split decision defeat in just his second pro contest – which came on his first night as a pro boxer, as part of a one-day, Super 8 knockout tournament.
Following the first meeting with Ennis, Chukhadzhian won three straight contests. The most significant was his May 2024 points victory over Harry Scarff in a sanctioned IBF eliminator. It put him right back in Ennis’ sights and subsequently led to P2M securing the promotional rights to the rematch after outbidding Matchroom.
However, the fight fell back into Matchroom’s hands, which resulted in a home game for Philadelphia’s Ennis. Their second meeting saw Chukhadzhian suffer a 5th round knockdown but also push Ennis, only to once again fall well short on the final scorecards.
Two wins have followed, including a 2nd round knockout of Joel Mafauad last October 11 in Riga, Latvia. The bout came with a regional IBF title at stake, a move necessary to keep him affixed in the upper portion of the ratings – and just in time to once again position himself to be one win away from another title shot.
