When unified super middleweight titlist Carl Froch, who is injured but looking for a major fight upon his expected return this summer, gave up the IBF belt rather than work out a deal for his mandatory defense against British countryman James DeGale, that meant DeGale would face the next leading available contender for vacant title.

That is Andre Dirrell, and the two camps were ordered to begin negotiating on Feb. 3. DeGale promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing hoped to work things out with Dirrell adviser Al Haymon to put the fight on April 25 in London.

However, on Thursday the IBF said Hearn wrote to the organization saying he was no longer willing to negotiate the fight and asking for an immediate purse bid, which is allowable under IBF rules. So the purse bid was ordered and is scheduled to take place March 10 at the IBF offices in Springfield, New Jersey. Bids from registered promoters must be submitted by 11:45 a.m. and they will be opened at noon. Minimum bid is $100,000.

DeGale (20-1, 14 KOs), 29, has won 10 fights in a row since suffering his only defeat, a majority decision to rival George Groves for the British and Commonwealth 168-pound titles in 2011. In May 2014, DeGale, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist, knocked out American Brandon Gonzales in the fourth round on the undercard of Froch's rematch with Groves to become the mandatory challenger.

Dirrell (24-1, 16 KOs), 31, a 2004 Olympic bronze medalist out of Flint, Michigan, suffered his only loss via disputed split decision to Froch in a 2009 world title bout in Froch's hometown and will be getting his second world title shot.