By Miguel Rivera

Venezuelan star Jorge 'Golden Boy' Linares is hoping to return to the ring by late May or early June.

Linares (40-3, 27 KOs), 30-years-old, was waiting for the date and place to make a mandatory defense of his WBC lightweight title against challenger Dejan Zlaticanin, but he fractured his right hand in training.

At the moment it's unknown if the WBC will order Dejan to take part in an interim-title fight or if Linares will be named a 'champion in recess.'

Linares is co-promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Teiken Promotions. He wants to recover from the injury and do at least two to three fights this year, including a major bout.

"I really do not know [what the WBC will do]. Golden Boy and Teiken have to check it out. I do not know if the WBC will do an interim fight, I do not know if I would become a champion in recess," Linares said to ESPN Deportes.

"Sometimes these things happen. As boxers we tend to go through times like this. This is the first time that I've suffered a fracture [while training for a fight]. I was preparing very strong, I was already going through heavy workouts. I have a small plate [in the hand] and I'll have to rest for at least six to eight weeks until the bone is fully cured. But in the meantime in a few weeks I will be able to move my hand, but can't have any direct contact with the hand for several weeks."

Linares has been out of the ring since knocking out Ivan Cano of Mexico in four rounds last October in his native Venezuela.