With junior lightweight world titleholder Kenichi Ogawa inactive and facing a likely suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for a positive drug test, Billy Dib and Tevin Farmer have been ordered to meet for the vacant interim belt.

After Farmer and Dib let the IBF know they were willing to participate in the fight, the sanctioning body on Tuesday formally notified the camps that they should begin negotiating the fight immediately. If they do not strike a deal by May 3, a purse bid will be ordered.

"Be advised that No. 3 Billy Dib and No. 4 Tevin Farmer are the two highest-ranked available contenders in the IBF junior lightweight division and have indicated a willingness to participate in this interim title fight," the IBF wrote to representatives of Manny Pacquiao's MP Promotions, which represents Dib, and Lou DiBella, who promotes Farmer. "In an effort to determine who the interim champion will be, the IBF is ordering that a bout should be held between Dib and Farmer for the interim title. The winner will be the interim champion and must fight IBF junior lightweight champion Kenichi Ogawa as soon as he is able to defend the title."

Ogawa may never get that opportunity, however, meaning the Dib-Farmer winner would become the organization's full titleholder.

In his first fight in the United States, Japan's Ogawa (23-1, 17 KOs) controversially outpointed Farmer by split decision to win the vacant belt on Dec. 9 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in an HBO-televised bout. However, Ogawa tested positive for two forms of androstanediol (synthetic testosterone) in a urine test related to the bout.

His team has put off its hearing with the Nevada commission but Ogawa faces a likely suspension and a fine of up to $21,000 (30 percent of his $70,000 purse) when his case is heard. If that commission rules against him, the result of the fight would be changed to a no contest and the IBF would strip him of the 130-pound title.

Many thought Farmer (25-5-1, 5 KOs), a 27-year-old southpaw from Philadelphia, clearly won the fight and he sought an immediate rematch. But now he will remain in the title hunt, albeit with a fight against Dib (43-4, 24 KOs), 32, a former featherweight world titlist from Australia.

Dib is 4-0 with a no contest (due to an accidental head-butt) since Takashi Miura knocked him out in the third round of a junior lightweight world title fight in Japan in May 2015. The disputed loss to Ogawa ended Farmer's 18-fight winning streak.

DiBella told ESPN he was pleased that Farmer will get another chance to fight for a belt.

"We're going to accept the fight and figure out a way to get it on. We have to figure out a place to put and a way to get it televised," DiBella said. "Billy's my friend. I've been friendly with Billy forever but Tevin is younger, faster and fresher. Billy always gives everything he has but I think you have to favor the younger, fresher guy. This is probably the last great opportunity of Billy's career. It's a make or break fight for him and we know Billy is not an easy out for Tevin."