New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker will fight Carlos Takam in a bout that will take him to the verge of a world title fight.
The fight will earn the winner the No 1 mandatory challenger position with the IBF and in line to fight the winner of the looming Charles Martin versus Anthony Joshua title fight.
Takam is a Cameroon-born, French-based fighter with a professional record of 33 wins (25 KOs), two losses (1 KO) and a draw.
The 35-year-old is noted for his strength and work rate and represents a significant step up in opposition for the 24-year-old Parker.
Parker has a slight height advantage at 1.93m to Takam's 1.89m.
Parker's fight was confirmed at a press conference in Auckland on Thursday where Parker and his trainer Kevin Barry spoke via video-link from their American training base in Las Vegas.
No details for the date or venue have been confirmed, though Parker's promoters Duco Events hope it can be in New Zealand with Auckland, Christchurch and Invercargill being eyed for a likely May schedule.
A delighted Duco boss Dean Lonergan said: "We've been waiting three months for this outcome."
Parker is unbeaten over 18 professional fights and has made rapid strides in an increasingly open division.
Parker is ranked No 1 behind champion Tyson Fury with the WBO. He is also ranked No 6 by the IBF and WBC and No 11 by the WBA.
Takam is ranked No 5 by the IBF and WBC and No 6 with the WBO.
The IBF, based in New Jersey, advised Parker and Takam via email on Wednesday that they are the two highest ranked available contenders in the organisation's heavyweight division.
The managements of Parker and Takam have both confirmed to the IBF their willingness to enter negotiations over the fight and they now have up to three weeks to agree terms. If they can't agree, the fight will be decided on a purse bid with the highest offer winning the rights.
The exciting development means Parker's promoters have had to postpone his next scheduled fight which was to take place in Christchurch on April 16. Under IBF rules, neither Parker nor Takam can take an intervening fight.
Martin defends the IBF title against Joshua in London on April 9.
Under the IBF rules, if Martin retains the title, the mandatory defence has to take place before January 16 next year. If Joshua wins, he is required to make a mandatory defence of the title by January 9.
Takam represented Cameroon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, making it to the round of 16 in the super-heavyweight division.
He turned professional the following year and has fought the majority of his pro fights in France.
He and Parker have two common opponents in South African veteran Frans Botha and Brazil's Marcelo Luiz Nascimento.
Parker KO'd Botha in two rounds while Takam took 11 rounds.
Parker KO'd Nascimento in seven rounds while Takam took just four rounds for the same result.
Takam's two losses came via a unanimous points decision to Gregory Tony (France) in 2009 and a 10th round knockout at the hands of highly regarded Russian Alexander Povetkin in 2014.
Takam's high-profile victims include Americans Michael Grant and Tony Thompson while his draw came against Cuban Mike Perez.