The IBF can finally move forward with its targeted junior welterweight title eliminator.

A matchup between Subriel Matias and Gabriel Gollaz Valenzuela was formally ordered on Saturday by the sanctioning body. The two sides will have until Jan. 26 to agree to terms, according to a letter obtained by The Ring.

Failure to reach a deal will force a purse bid hearing, by which point both fighters will be forced to commit to the process to avoid a demotion outside of eligibility for title contention.

Matias (21-2, 21 KOs), The Ring’s No. 6 junior welterweight contender, is promoted by Juan Orengo’s Fresh Productions. Valenzuela (30-3-1, 17 KOs) is represented by BXSTRS and international boxing figure Sean ‘VIVA’ Gibbons.

The winner will become the mandatory challenger to IBF 140-pound titlist Richardson Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs), The Ring’s No. 6 junior welterweight contender who can take a voluntary defense in the interim.

As previously reported by The Ring, Matias and Valenzuela both accepted invitations from the IBF to enter negotiations. They were contacted as the two highest-rated IBF junior welterweight contenders, at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively.

England’s Jack Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) and Los Angeles’ Arnold Barboza Jr. (31-0, 11 KOs), The Ring No. 2 and No. 9 contenders, respectively, are No. 3 and No. 4 in the IBF’s top ten. However, they are already set to meet in an interim WBO title fight on Feb. 15 in Manchester, England.

Matias was previously tied to rumors of a fight with The Ring/WBO 140-pound king Teofimo Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs).

Lopez-Matias was previously targeted for a March 15 Top Rank on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View event. Matias was on board for the fight and repeatedly called out Lopez to commit. However, a fallout between Lopez and career-long promoter Top Rank led to the championship fight’s collapse.

Matias previously held the IBF 140-pound title from Feb. 2023 through last June 15.

The reign ended in an upset split decision defeat to Australia’s Liam Paro (23-0 at the time), The Ring No. 5 junior welterweight who ruined Matias’ island homecoming in Manati, Puerto Rico.

Matias rebounded with a second-round knockout of Roberto Ramirez (26-4-1, 19 KOs) last Nov. 9 in Bayamon, P.R.

Guadalajara’s Gonzalez has won five straight against a variety of opposition ranging from fringe to contender level. His last defeat came in a May 2022 majority decision to then-unbeaten Montana Love on the Dmitry Bivol-Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez undercard in Las Vegas.

The most notable win among his past five fights came in a May 2023 split decision victory over Australia’s Steve Spark (16-3, 14 KOs) in Zapopan, just outside his Guadalajara hometown. That fight also came on an Alvarez undercard, as did a Sept. 2023 win over Yeis Gabriel Solano in Las Vegas.

Two club-level fights made up his 2024 campaign, the most recent on Oct. 11 when he outpointed Jesus Lopez (16-15-3) over eight rounds at home in Guadalajara..