By Mark Vester

It was reported by the Sydney Morning Herald that if IBF junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton plans to move forward with his June bout against Jose Luis Castillo in June, the IBF will strip him of his title.

The report noted that Hatton must face the winner of Sunday's scrap between Australian fighters, Naoufel Ben Rabah and Lovemore Ndou, taking place at the Sydney Olympic Park in Australia. The IBF has ordered that he must commit to face the winner within 90-days or vacate his title.

The IBF appears to be basing it's decision on then champion Juan Urango getting an exemption by facing Hatton instead of his mandatory, and Hatton trying to get a second exemption by facing Castillo. The sanctioning body told Hatton that they will not approve a second exemption.

Joe Calzaghe was stripped of his IBF super middleweight title for similar reasons. He was given an exemption to face Australian Sakio Bika, instead of his mandatory, and was then stripped when he refused to commit to his mandatory and signed to fight Peter Manfredo, Jr.