By Jake Donovan

With its current bantamweight titleholder out for for the foreseeable future, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) has ordered an interim title fight between its two highest rated contenders, Japan's Ryosuke Iwasa and England's Lee Haskins. 

The two camps will have 30 days to negotiate terms for the vacant interim title fight, or else the bout will go to a purse bid. 

Caballero (22-0, 13KOs) was due to make the first defense of his title in February, but an ankle injury ruined plans for a homecoming title defense versus Albert Guevara in Indio, California. The bout would have marked a triumphant return home following his title winning effort over Stuart Hall last October in Monte Carlo. 

The training injury was serious enough to knock him off of the show, but the severity of the wound wasn't revealed until recent. The IBF—which rarely orders interim title fights unless under extreme measures—acted accordingly, given the unlikelihood of Caballero defending the title by July, when his mandatory would be due. 

Iwasa (19-1, 12KOs) is riding an 11-fight win streak following the lone loss of his career, a 10th round stoppage at the hands of Shinsuke Yamanaka in 2011, when both were unbeaten prospects. Yamanaka has since gone on to become a bantamweight titlist and generally regarded as the de facto leader of the division. 

The duration of Iwasa's pro career has taken place in Japan, in fact having never fought outside of Tokyo. 

Haskins (31-3, 13KOs) was once being groomed for a bantamweight title shot, having even conquered countryman Hall in July '12 to move into contention. A setback at the hands of Belgium's Stephane Jamoye knocked him out of contention—a chain of events that would eventually lead to Hall fighting for and winning a vacant title. 

The brave but vulnerable Brit has since won five straight, including a decision win over Omar Lamiri on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin's knockout of Martin Murray this past February in Monte Carlo. 

The winner of the interim title fight will be obligated to face Caballero upon his ring return. In the event that Caballero elects to travel in another direction, said winner will be elevated to full titlist. 

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox