The welterweight division continues to have Karen problems.
Former title challenger Karen Chukhadzhian continued his winning ways with a second round knockout of Argentina’s Joel Marcous Mafauad. A swarm of power shots floored Mafauad and ultimately forced the stoppage at 1:23 of Round 2 Saturday from Arena Riga in Riga, Latvia.
Saturday’s DAZN-aired main event marked the second fight for Ukraine’s Chukhadzhian, 26-3 (14 KOs) following his repeat defeat to Jaron “Boots” Ennis, who fights later Saturday evening. Philadelphia’s Ennis makes his 154lbs debut, a move which also resulted in his vacating the IBF and WBA welterweight titles.
Chukhadzhian remains a favorite son of the IBF and could be back in the mix within his next couple of fights. He took a step in the right direction with his performance on Saturday. The 29-year-old contender immediately took the fight to Mafauad, 13-2 (5 KOs), a normally durable boxer who fought outside of his native Argentina for the first time.
Mafauad managed to make it out of a near-disastrous opening round but didn’t have any such luck once the bell sounded to begin the next frame. Chukhadzhian went on the attack and even walked through a left hook to the body to connect on four unanswered blows to end the fight.
A pair of left hooks by Chukhadzhian was followed by a right uppercut. Mafauad tried in vain to hold on but absorbed a final right hand to the temple as he fell to the canvas. He beat the count but could not convince the referee to allow the fight to continue.
Chukhadzhian earned his first stoppage victory in nearly two years. His last fight to not go the distance came in October 2023, when he halted Pietro Rossetti in the ninth round.
That win came two fights after his first fight with Ennis, when he dropped a 12-round, unanimous decision in their January 2023 IBF interim 147lbs title fight.
Ennis was upgraded to full titleholder later that year, and made three successful defenses. One came in his November 9 rematch with Chukhadzhian, who became the mandatory challenger after a May 2024 unanimous decision win over Harry Scarff in their title eliminator.
Chukhadzhian once again traveled to the U.S. for his shot at the full crown, specifically to Ennis’ hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he dropped a 12-round, unanimous decision.
The victory on Saturday also saw Chukhadzhian claim a pair of vacant regional titles, which should improve his current standing. Chukhadzhian is the No. 6 contender with the IBF, whose title is held by Belfast’s Lewis Crocker, and the No. 4 contender to current WBO titlist Brian Norman Jnr, who faces Devin Haney later this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
