Donovan beats Chukhadzhian in world title eliminator

Ireland's Paddy Donovan took a major step towards a second crack at world honours with victory over Ukraine's Karen Chukhadzhian in a final eliminator for the IBF welterweight title in Mannheim, Germany.

Donovan, who lost to Lewis Crocker in a fight for the vacant title last September, scored two knockdowns on his way to a majority decision verdict - 115-111, 114-112, 113-113.

Crocker makes the first defence of the title against Liam Paro in Brisbane, Australia on 24 June and Donovan is now in line to face the winner.

The Limerick man improves to 15 wins with two defeats - both to Crocker with the first by way of disqualification in May 2025 - and is keen to face the Belfast man for a third time,

"I wanted to put on a tremendous performance for the fans and now [get] back for the trilogy - come on Lewis Crocker," he told DAZN after.

Chukhadzhian was also seeking to return to a world title fight having lost to former champion Jaron 'Boots' Ennis in 2024 - his second defeat by the American - but the 30-year-old's record now slips to 26-4.

It was a tentative start, but Donovan's fast hands saw him land a couple of crisp shots out of his southpaw stance with Chukhadzhian seeking to solve the puzzle.

The Ukrainian began to apply more pressure in the second but was open to the counters and a was picked off with a counter left hook at the end of the third that had him on unsteady legs.

Donovan was boxing with patience, seeking to draw the mistake and counter without applying much by way of pressure, but his speed and accuracy was telling with Chukhadzhian unable to get much going of his own.

That speed told in the sixth as Donovan drew the Ukranian in and on the spin, delivered a left hand that dropped Chukhadzhian who did beat the count comfortably, but was beginning to look more frustrated.

Chukhadzhian was given a count in the eighth when countered again, but this time protested he had been pushed over, yet there seemed to be an awareness he was now a long way back on the cards and needed to go for broke.

That he did as he began to apply pressure on the inside, this now a fight on his terms as he rallied well, but had given himself too much to do as Donovan saw it out to claim victory.

Monaghan's Stephen McKenna is the latest name added to the Zuffa Boxing roster, signing a long-term promotional contract with the fledgling company.

The 29-year-old middleweight will begin the next chapter of his career at Zuffa Boxing 07 - topped by the cruiserweight clash between former world champion Chris Billam-Smith and Ryan Rozicki - when he takes on USA's Casey James Streeter.

McKenna has been out of the ring since suffering his first career loss in December 2024 when out-pointed by Lee Cutler, seeing his record slip to 15 wins and one defeat - 14 of his wins by stoppage.

He will return in an eight-round bout against 34-year-old Streeter (15-3-2) who is also seeking to get back into the winning column following February's stoppage defeat by Leo Ruiz in Las Vegas.