Vasiliy Lomachenko has retained some leverage while he figures out whether he actually wants to box again.

The IBF announced Friday morning that it has granted its lightweight champion an extension of the injury exemption it granted Lomachenko on November 14. The Ukrainian southpaw was afforded such leeway because his doctor provided proof that Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) remains injured and could not agree to a mandated title bout before the IBF’s deadline of January 11, which provided him the full 60 days through his initial injury exemption.

The IBF’s Board of Directors approved Lomachenko’s medical extension on three conditions, according to documentation obtained by The Ring.

First, the IBF ordered representatives for its second-ranked contender, Zaur Abdullaev, and fourth-ranked Raymond Muratalla to commence negotiations for a 12-round fight that would be contested for the IBF’s interim lightweight title.

Second, Lomachenko must defend his IBF belt against the Abdullaev-Muratalla winner by October 8. If the two-time Olympic gold medalist cannot box the Abdullaev-Muratalla winner by October, the Russian-born Abdullaev (20-1, 12 KOs), of Yerevyan, Armenia, or Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs), of Fontana, California, would be elevated from interim champion to champion.

And last but not least, the IBF informed Lomachenko’s team that it will not approve another extension for Lomachenko related to this injury exemption.

Lomachenko, who will turn 37 on February 17, won the then-vacant IBF lightweight championship May 12, when he stopped Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. (21-3, 10 KOs) in the 11th round at RAC Arena in Perth.

Representatives for Lomachenko’s promoter, Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc., and Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions all but reached an agreement early last summer for Lomachenko and Gervonta “Tank” Davis to finally fight November 2 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Lomachenko ultimately turned down that deal to battle Baltimore’s Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) who will instead defend his WBA 135-pound crown against WBA 130-pound champion Lamont Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs), of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, in a 12-round pay-per-view main event March 1 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.