Joe Cordina will have a clearer path towards unification than was the effort to regain the title he never lost in the ring.

BoxingScene.com has confirmed that the IBF has ordered a multi-fighter box-off to determine the next mandatory challenger for its junior lightweight title. The first step was taken on Wednesday, as contenders Eduardo Nunez and Zelfa Barrett have been instructed to enter talks for a proposed semifinal title eliminator.

“Please be advised the IBF is ordering a Box Off for the 4 highest ranked available contenders in the IBF Jr. Lightweight division,” IBF Championship Committee chairman Carlos Ortiz informed Matchroom Boxing, the promoter for both boxers in a ruling obtained by Boxing Scene. “Eduardo Nunez and Zelfa Barrett and have indicated in writing, a willingness to participate in this Jr. Lightweight Box Off. The winners of the first matches will fight each other for the #1 position and be the mandatory challenger. The IBF is ordering #5 Eduardo Nunez and # 8 Zelfa Barrett to begin negotiations.”

The two teams must reach a deal by September 7 to avoid a purse bid hearing. Per IBF Rule 9.C, neither boxer can enter another fight once a title bout or eliminator has been ordered. Any decision to abandon talks will result in a rankings demotion and the inability to enter any IBF-sanctioned fight for at least six months.

The winner will likely be ordered to next face former IBF titlist Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov (17-1-1, 14KOs).

Nunez (24-1, 24KOs) has won his last fourteen bouts, all by knockout and none which have gone beyond the tenth round. The 26-year-old from Los Mochis, Mexico signed with Matchroom earlier this year, shortly after an impressive second-round knockout of unbeaten Jesus Martin Ceyca on its March 4 show in Culiacan, Mexico.

Manchester’s Barrett (29-2, 16KOs) was previously mentioned as a possibility to next face Cordina (16-0, 9KOs), who instead will enter a voluntary title defense later this year.

The former title challenger last fought in a ten-round decision over Jason Sanchez on the April 22 Cordina-Rakhimov undercard in Cardiff, Wales. The bout came more than five months after Barrett suffered a ninth-round knockout defeat to Rakhimov in their vacant IBF title fight last November 4 in Abu Dhabi.

Cordina was previously stripped of the title for failure to honor his mandatory versus Rakhimov due to injury. He regained the belt he never lost in the ring with a win over the Tajikistani southpaw in April.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox