The International Boxing Federation (IBF) has ordered a fight between Richard Commey and Teofimo Lopez, Boxingghana.com can report.
Both boxers and their respective promoters were notified on Friday morning, August 9, 2019, via official company letter.
In a report by Boxingscene.com, the two camps have a 30-day free negotiations period to come to terms.
However, a deadline of September 7, 2019 has been set for a purse bid hearing which will be called and open to all IBF-registered promoters.
Per IBF’s letter, either party can call for a purse been hearing at any time during the negotiation window, although both would be best served to take the allotted time frame in full.
Commey won the IBF belt on February 2, 2019, when he destroyed Russia’s Isa Chaniev in round two.
The Ghanaian made his first defense of the belt after stopping former world champion Rey Beltran in round 8 on June 28, 2019.
Lopez became Commey’s mandatory after beating Japan’s Masayoshi Nakatani via 12-round decision.
Following that unconvincing win, Lopez in an interview with Max Kellerman said he is not ready to face Commey.