Paddy Donovan wins IBF eliminator over Karen Chukhadzhian

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 28: Paddy Donovan during today's Launch Press Conference for the Crocker v Donovan II fight, scheduled for September 2025, in The Europa Hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing/Getty Images). | Matchroom Boxing/Getty Images Paddy Donovan held on to edge a majority decision win in Germany over Karen Chukhadzhian in an IBF welterweight eliminator.

Donovan (15-2, 11 KO) has now lined up another potential shot at that 147 lb belt, which he failed to win when vacant last year against Lewis Crocker. Two judges saw today’s fight in Donovan’s favor, 114-112 and 115-111, and another scored it even, 113-113. Bad Left Hook unofficially scored the fight 114-112 for Donovan.

Crocker does still hold the belt, and is set to travel to Australia for a June 24 defense against Liam Paro . Donovan put Chukhadzhian (26-4, 14 KO) down twice, once with a great counter shot in the sixth, and then in the eighth, a more questionable knockdown call that really may have been more of a shove. Chukhadzhian never gave up on the task, though, boxing aggressively and pretty solidly, with Donovan slowing down as the fight wore on.

The Irish fighter didn’t move as much as he had earlier, which is normal for any fight as fatigue sets in, and had to stand and trade a bit more, rather than bringing Chukhadzhian onto sharp counter shots. The second half of the fight was much more what Chukhadzhian wanted and needed, while Donovan did quite well in the opening half. In the end, Donovan was fairly ruled to have done enough.