(May 11th) Irish eyes will be focused on Germany this Friday night when Limerick favorite Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (14-2, 11 KOs) takes on Karen Chukhadzhian (26-3, 14 KOs) in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) World Welterweight Title Eliminator at SAP-Arena in Mannheim.

The winner of the scheduled 12-round fight will become the IBF No. 1, mandatory challenger for the winner of the IBF title fight between defending champion Lewis “The Croc” Crocker (22-0, 11 KOs) and challenger and IBF No. 2 rated Liam Paro (27-1, 16 KOs). Crocker vs. Paro was postponed due to an injury suffered by Crocker and it still needs to be rescheduled.

“There’s a lot of pride in representing Ireland on a stage like this,’ Donovan said. “I know fans back home will be supporting me, and I plan on giving them a performance they’ll remember.”

Donovan vs. Chukhadzhian is a crossroads match for both fighters, at least for now at this level. Both have lost world title fights but neither fighter has ever been stopped as professionals. A native of Ukraine, Chukhadzhian will have the hometown advantage because this will be his tenth consecutive fight in Germany; Donovan has never fought outside of his native Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Donovan, 27, is coming off  two disappointing, controversial losses in a row to Crocker, both in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The first was in an IBF Eliminator in which Donovan pounded Crocker, dropping him once and on the verge of a second knockdown, when he was disqualified in the right round for hitting late. The IBF mandated a rematch because the referee wasn’t in a proper position to separate the two boxers when the bell sounded.

Donovan’s second fight against Crocker was for the vacant IBF world title because Jaron “Boots” Ennis relinquished his crown to move up to junior middleweight division. Donovan lost a 12-round majority decision but an appeal by his team resulted in another shot in an IBF Eliminator, against Paro with the winner facing Crocker as the mandatory challenger. Donovan, however, was forced to pull out of the fight due to illness, and the IBF ordered Crocker vs. Paro.

Another IBF Eliminator was ordered between the highest rated, available IBF welterweights, No. 2 Donovan and No. 7 Chukhadzhian. Two of Chukhadzhian’s losses have been to Ennis, including their IBF World title and Interim fights, both resulting in 12-round decisions.

“Every fight has prepared me for this opportunity,” Donovan explained. “I’m locked in mentally, physically, and emotionally. On fight night, I plan on showing the world that I’m ready for a world title.

“I’ve learned from every experience in this sport – the lows, the setbacks, the controversies -- all of it! It’s made me stronger, sharper, and more dangerous heading into this fight.”

Donovan, his head trainer/co-manager Andy Lee, and co-manager Keith Sullivan, along with all Irish fights fans are hoping the third time’s the charm for Paddy.

“From the moment I started working with Paddy,” Sullivan added, “I believed he had what it takes to become a world champion. My job is to guide him, protect him, and put him in position to reach the promised land of a world title. He’s done the hard work, made the sacrifices, and now he's ready to go to Germany and close in on the biggest stage in boxing.”

Sullivan Management

Sullivan, a former Deputy Commissioner with the New York State Athletic Commission, and longtime boxing lawyer, also manages IBF Bantamweight World Champion Miyo Yoshida (17-4, 0 KOs) and Brooklyn heavyweight prospect Pryce Taylor (3-0, 2 KOs), in addition to co-managing World Boxing Association (WBA) No. 12-rated welterweight contender Paddy “The Real Deal” Donovan (13-0, 10 KOs), the reigning WBA Continental Champion from Limerick, Ireland. Sullivan co-manages Donovan with former world middleweight champion Andy Lee.