Boxingtalk has been hearing rumblings that the IBF has ordered its two leading available junior middleweight contenders, Cory Spinks and Joel Julio to commence negotiations for an elimination bout that would make the winner the mandatory challenger to IBF junior middleweight champion Verno Phillips. Phillips captured the title from Spinks on March 27 and is currently in his voluntary/optional defense period. Sechew Powell, the previous mandatory challenger was unexpectedly knocked out on ESPN, prompting the IBF to order the eliminator between Spinks and Julio.  The Spinks-Julio fight will probably take place early this fall, meaning Phillips likely won't have to make a mandatory defense of his title until early 2009.