‘Be careful what you wish for’ – Roberto Diaz sends James Tennyson Jorge Linares warning

World renowned matchmaker Roberto Diaz has warned Eddie Hearn against making James Tennyson versus Jorge Linares.

Speaking after Tennyson [28(24)-3(3)] stopped world #7 Josh O’Reilly in less than a round live on Sky Sports late last year, the Matchroom boss dropped the name of the well known Venezuelan.

Hearn put forward the idea of ‘The Assassin’ versus the much decorated 35-year-old, former three weight world champion on the top of a Belfast card.

Considering Linares  [47(29)-5(5)] has worked with Matchroom on numerous occasions, including for fights with Anthony Crolla and Kevin Mitchell, he looks an attainable world name.

Linares is also a huge name, an accomplished foe and the kind of scalp that could propel ‘The Assassin’ toward the fab four of the lightweight division.

Career wise it seems the perfect bridge fight and a clash strong enough to tempt Sky Sports and Matchroom back to Belfast for the first time since Ryan Burnett’s unification win over Zhanat Zhakiyanov in 2017.

However, Diaz warns the experience operator would ruin Tennyson’s lightweight rise. He claims the world title winner in three divisions is as capable as ever and told Hearn the fighter would leave him upset for the fifth time.

“I saw the tweet Eddie put out about [James Tennyson] who won in the first round against a lightweight on the AJ undercard. I told Eddie ‘be careful what you wish for you might go 0-5’.

“Linares has already beaten fighters promoted by Eddie four times if you want to go 0-5 send the contract.”

The warning wouldn’t scare manager Mark Dunlop or Team Tenny. The former super featherweight world title challenger has looked unstoppable at lightweight – and they would be confident the knockout specialist could stop a fighter with five inside the distance defeats on his record.

Still Diaz, who has recently spoke well of Stevie McKenna and Jason Quigley, is adamant Linares has a lot to offer, indeed he suggests he might be at his best right now.

“How many time has he been written off, particularly because his loses have come by knockout, but he keeps coming back and winning and winning. I have always had faith in him. Jorge is going through his best moment right now. The Jorge of 35-years-old against the young undefeated Jorge, I’d go for this one all day.”