The IBF kept Paddy Donovan in the title picture despite two consecutive losses, which led to his victory in the final against Karen Chukhadzhian which will determine who will represent the challenger at welterweight. The decision maintains Donovan’s streak even after a loss to Lewis Crocker, while forcing Chukhadzhian to fight his way back following two unsuccessful title attempts against Jaron Ennis.
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The sanctioning body has confirmed that Donovan and Chukhadzhian, two of their top rivals, have been given 15 days to meet the targets. If no agreement is reached by March 5, a fund bid hearing will be scheduled. The winner will receive the mandatory challenger position and move on to win the IBF title in the future.
Donovan enters the eliminator in a strange place. The Irish fighter has not fought since his September decision loss to Crocker, which followed a defeat in their first meeting earlier this year. He was leading on all three scorecards before it was released, but the official result cost him his unbeaten record and changed his position in the division. The rematch was competitive, although Crocker’s knockdown was successful on the scorecards.
Despite those setbacks, Donovan remains atop the IBF rankings. His previous run of wins against Crocker allowed him to reach out to another refiner instead of forcing him to rebuild from the ground up. The IBF’s reliance on its established ranking system has allowed it to continue working in the title pipeline.
Chukhadzhian presents a different kind of challenge. The Ukrainian has fought twice for the IBF title, losing both times to Ennis. In their rematch in October 2024, he showed improvement and strong defensive control, surviving a knockdown and extending the fight to a long distance. His technical discipline and ability to manage distance has allowed him to stay near the top of the rankings.
Since his second loss to Ennis, Chukhadzhian has rebuilt his position with two wins, including a victory over Joel Mafauad. Those fights made him one of the top fighters in the IBF and set up an eliminator with Donovan.
The timing of the order puts both fighters on one win since returning to the title division. Crocker currently holds the IBF belt and is scheduled to defend it against Liam Paro later this year. That fight will determine where the title is headed, with Donovan and Chukhadzhian competing for the next mandatory position.
Donovan’s inclusion in another cut shows how the standards of punishing bodies often prioritize continuing the latest competition rather than forcing competitors to completely rebuild after a small or controversial loss. Whether he can capitalize on that opportunity against a technically trained opponent like Chukhadzhian will determine whether his path back to title contention remains open or closed forever.
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Last updated on 2026/02/21 at 2:31 PM
