The winner becomes the next mandatory challenger to the IBF belt, currently held by Lewis Crocker.

Chukhadzhian’s retention at the top of the rankings is noteworthy as he has already had two opportunities against Ennis. Both fights ended in clear decisions for the Philadelphia fighter, but the IBF contender system repeatedly brought Chukhadzhian back into position.

His first title challenge came in January 2023, when Ennis defeated him by decision to win the IBF interim belt. The loss ended a 20-fight winning streak for Chukhadzhian, whose only previous loss came in his second professional fight at the one-day Super 8 tournament.

Instead of falling away from the title picture, Chukhadzhan quickly rebuilt. After the loss, he won three straight fights, including a decision over Harry Scarff in May 2024 that put him back in the image of an IBF contender.

This run earned him another meeting with Ennis. P2M-Box won the bid for the rematch, although the fight ultimately landed on the Matchroom card in Philadelphia. Chukhadzhian was knocked down in the fifth round, but again lasted the distance before taking a second decision.

Since that fight, it has yielded two more victories, including a second-round knockout of Joel Mafauad last October in Riga, Latvia.

These victories earned him a high enough position in the IBF rankings to land him in an upcoming eliminator against Donovan, putting him within one shot of the title again.

Donovan comes to the fight after a tumultuous period during his rivalry with Crocker. He was disqualified in their first meeting last March after knocking down Crocker right after the bell in the eighth round. Their rematch for the vacant IBF belt in September ended in a close victory for Crocker after Donovan was knocked down twice.

The Irish southpaw was later scheduled to face Liam Paro in another qualifying match earlier this year, but withdrew after suffering an illness during training camp. Paro took the mandatory position and secured a title shot against Crocker. This sequence landed Donovan against Chukhadzhian in another IBF eliminator.

Under IBF regulations, both fighters must remain available for the bidding process. If either boxer attempts another fight before the eliminator is decided, the sanctioning body may remove him from the rankings and ban him from participating in IBF-sanctioned fights for six months.

Jazza Dickens lived in his van outside the arena where he will defend his world title this weekend.

The Briton had a long journey to the top, turning professional in 2011 before finally becoming world champion in 2025 when he was promoted from a momentary promotion.

Now he will be preparing for Saturday’s defense of the WBA junior lightweight belt against Anthony Cacaca from Belfast.

Dublin, where the fight will take place, is a city with which Dickens has sturdy connections, as he has lived there for several years, living in his van.

ESPN spoke to him before the title game.

What are your memories of living in Dublin and is it true that at one point you slept in your van outside the 3Arena?

“I lived there for a few years,” Dickens said. “I love this place so coming back to Dublin for a week of fights is exhilarating.

“The whole time I was in the van, I was there for three years, I went back and forth, but it lasted for three years. [in total].

“Every night was strenuous, but every morning was lovely because I got to go and meet people from Dublin, friends I made for life.”

You’re world champion now, but do you look back on those times fondly?

“Yes, there was another time when I was at the gym on Fifth Street [in Miami] With [Luis Perez] and Dino Spencer,” Dickens said.

“I stayed in hostels back then, so it’s really the same!

“I just love the grind. Sometimes, when I’m down a few pounds, I think, ‘I miss the good senior days.'”

Where does your positive attitude come from after everything you’ve been through?

“A mixture of things,” Dickens said. “I think it’s a very intricate answer because it’s all of these things and more, but I also have a lot of childhood trauma.

“So it’s just a mixture of everything. It’s the best life I would choose.”

“I am blessed every day to get up and continue to pursue my dreams as a boxer.”

It’s been such a long wait to win the world title, have you ever stopped and reflected on your journey?

“There has never been a stage of reflection in my life because I love it so much,” Dickens said.

“I’m still on this journey and I think it’s essential to be surrounded by love and a good team. I had the same family, friends and [partner] since I started, from the beginning of my professional path.

“I’m very blessed and lucky to have them. And I find out when you lose who loves you.”

Ryan Garcia’s father, Henry Garcia, believes his son still has the advantage in boxing’s biggest potential rematch, despite Devin Haney’s camp saying otherwise.

During a recent interview discussing the ongoing disputes surrounding Garcia and Haney’s sequel, Henry rejected the idea that Haney should control the terms of any deal. In his opinion, the deciding factor is straightforward: Ryan Garcia is still a warm ticket.

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Last updated: 13/03/2026 at 17:43