ALI "Rush Hour" Funeka and Joan Guzman have been approved by the IBF to fight for the vacant lightweight title.

ALI "Rush Hour" Funeka and Joan Guzman have been approved by the IBF to fight for the vacant lightweight title.

Funeka is rated third, a spot above Guzman, who is from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Both the number one and two spots are vacant. Their clash has already been approved by the IBF's championship committee. A date and location will be announced once the bout is finalised.

Fernando Angulo and Yuri Romanov were scheduled to have fought for the vacant title last weekend but the word is that Romanov had trouble securing a visa to enter the US in time for the bout. Fightnews reported that Guzman recently signed with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. Funeka signed with Gary Shaw before he lost in his bid to oust the then IBF and WBO titleholder, Nate Campbell, in February.

Those belts were declared vacant because Campbell could not make the weight. He lost them on the scale.

Funeka has not fought since that defeat while Guzman, a dangerous fighter, last fought in December 2008 when he won the IBF title eliminator against Ameth Diaz.

Guzman, 33, is undefeated after 29 fights with 17 KOs. He held the WBO NABO and WBO super bantamweight belts. Funeka has 30 wins (25 KOs), two defeats and two draws. Funeka's manager, promoter Mzimase Mnguni, said the IBF is yet to inform them officially about the negotiations with Guzman's camp about the promoter's rights.