Chukhadzhian (26-3, 14 KOs) will face Donovan (14-2, 11 KOs) in an IBF 147-POUND title eliminator May 15 at SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany. Their 12-round fight will headline a Ringside Zone show, it was announced on Tuesday.

EMX Sports, which promotes Chukhadzhian, secured the right to stage their bout by winning an IBF purse bid last month. Its winning bid was $311,000.

Chukhadzhian has fallen short the two previous times he pursued the 147-pound IBF title against Jaron Ennis, who soundly defeated him by unanimous decision in January 2023 and November 2024. But the 29-year-old Armenian, who was born and bred in Kyiv, Ukraine, has repositioned himself with the sanctioning body thanks to two wins since his second defeat to Ennis.

“This final eliminator is my chance to prove I belong at the very top,” Chukhadzhian, who is ranked fifth by the IBF, said in a statement. “I’ve faced the best, and I’m ready to outwork and outlast Paddy Donovan to earn my shot at the world title.”

The third-ranked Donovan, a 27-year-old southpaw from Ireland, lost back-to-back fights to England’s Lewis Crocker in 2025. Donovan suffered a disqualification defeat in an IBF elimination match last March and a split-decision loss September 13 in a fight for IBF belt Ennis vacated.

Donovan was supposed to face second-ranked Australian contender Liam Paro in an IBF title eliminator in January, but he pulled out of the pitting less than three weeks out due to illness. The series of events pushed Paro straight into a title shot against Crocker, which was originally planned for April 5. That fight was shelved once Crocker suffered a hand injury late in February.

“I’m coming to Mannheim to win big and move closer to a world title,” Donovan said in a statement. “Karen is tough and experienced, but I have the power and hunger to take the victory and make my mark.”

Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.