Karen Chukhadzhian lands one other IBF eliminator regardless of two Boots losses

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Karen Chukhadzhian stays within the IBF title image regardless of two losses to Jaron “Boots” Ennis.

The Ukrainian contender will face Eire’s Paddy Donovan in an IBF-ordered welterweight eliminator that’s heading to purse bids. BoxingScene reported that sanctioning physique officers scheduled a March 24 listening to to find out promotional rights for the battle. Chukhadzhian is promoted by P2M-Field Promotion, whereas Donovan fights underneath Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing banner.

The winner turns into the following obligatory challenger for the IBF belt presently held by Lewis Crocker.

Chukhadzhian’s continued presence close to the highest of the rankings is notable as a result of he has already had two alternatives in opposition to Ennis. Each fights resulted in clear choices for the Philadelphia fighter, but the IBF contender system has repeatedly cycled Chukhadzhian again into place.

His first title problem got here in January 2023, when Ennis defeated him by determination to seize the interim IBF belt. The loss ended a 20-fight win streak for Chukhadzhian, whose solely earlier defeat got here in his second skilled bout throughout a one-night Tremendous 8 match.

Somewhat than falling away from the title image, Chukhadzhian rebuilt shortly. He gained three straight fights after the defeat, together with a choice over Harry Scarff in Might 2024 that returned him to the IBF contender image.

That run secured him one other assembly with Ennis. P2M-Field gained the purse bid for the rematch, although the bout finally landed on a Matchroom card in Philadelphia. Chukhadzhian was knocked down within the fifth spherical however once more lasted the space earlier than dropping a second determination.

Two extra wins have adopted since that battle, together with a second-round knockout of Joel Mafauad final October in Riga, Latvia.

These victories saved him excessive sufficient within the IBF rankings to land the upcoming eliminator with Donovan, inserting him as soon as once more one step away from the title.

Donovan arrives on the bout after a turbulent stretch tied to his rivalry with Crocker. He was disqualified of their first assembly final March after knocking Crocker down simply after the bell within the eighth spherical. Their rematch for the vacant IBF belt in September resulted in an in depth determination victory for Crocker after Donovan was knocked down twice.

The Irish southpaw was later scheduled to face Liam Paro in one other eliminator earlier this 12 months, however withdrew after falling ailing throughout coaching camp. Paro moved into the obligatory place and secured a title battle with Crocker. That sequence left Donovan matched with Chukhadzhian within the IBF’s subsequent eliminator.

Below IBF guidelines, each fighters should stay accessible for the purse-bid course of. If both boxer takes one other bout earlier than the eliminator is resolved, the sanctioning physique can take away him from the rankings and bar him from IBF-sanctioned fights for six months.