The WBC has stripped Jorge Linares of the lightweight title due to inactivity after sustaining a hand injury that forced him out of his upcoming defense against Dejan Zlaticanin. The WBC has now ordered Zlatianin to face a 39 year-old man, Emiliano Marsili that seemingly no one knows of to fight for the vacant title.

The punishment for Linares seems a bit harsh, though Linares has been fragile for his whole career, Linares has been inactive with in the past year and is largely regarded as the best boxer in the lightweight division. The silver lining is that Linares will be allowed fight the winner when he returns, the WBC explained, using the term “champion in recess” to explain the process.