Eddie Hearn reports that the negotiations between super middleweight champions Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant have progressed to the contract stage for their fight on FOX PPV on September 18th. Hearn believes the Canelo-Plant fight will take place.
As mentioned already, the between WBA/WBC/WBO 168-lb champion Canelo (56-1-2, 38 KOs) and IBF champion Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) will be taking place on PBC on FOX PPV rather than DAZN, which is where the Mexican superstar has been fighting on since 2018.
“If the contract is correct, I believe he’ll take that fight… Lawyers are going through the contract at the moment and I guess there’ll be an announcement in due course,” said Eddie Hearn to @MichaelBensonn.
This will make some boxing fans happy that Canelo vs. Plant is almost set to occur, as they want to see these two battle it out. The average fan is not as caught up mentally about the undisputed aspect of the fight. That’s Canelo’s hang-up.
It doesn’t mean much to the average fan whether Canelo captures all four titles at 168 because most fans realize that the guys he’s been beating, Rocky Fielding, Callum Smith, and Billy Joe Saunders, weren’t the best in the division.
Fans just want to see Canelo fight, and Plant is just the B-side opponent.
It wouldn’t be that way if Plant proved himself against notable top-tier opposition during his career. Still, he’s been brought carefully by his management at PBC, matched against fighters like Mike Lee, Vincent Feigenbutz, Caleb Truax, and Jose Uzcategui. I think you get the idea.
Hearn doesn’t want to stand in the way of Canelo, 31, and him looking to strengthen his legacy by fighting PBC fighter Plant for the undisputed super middleweight championship.
“Canelo’s made it clear to me that I’m on his team,” Hearn said. “But I’m not going to jeopardize his legacy. I want him to be undisputed. If I have to just be part of the team and not lead a promotion, it’s no problem.”
Canelo is already in training for the Plant fight, sparring with Ronald Ellis. Clips of their recent sparring session were posted on YouTube this week, and it looked like Canelo was having a hard time with the size of Ellis.
Plant is more of a pure boxer, and he’s not going to stand and slug it out with Canelo the way Ellis has been doing in sparring.
As long as Plant is aware that he’s not likely to win a decision against the popular Canelo if he chooses to play it safe on the outside, he shouldn’t be too upset if his hand isn’t raised at the end.
Plant is the ideal foe for Canelo because he doesn’t pack enough power to worry him, and he’s got serious stamina issues that will hamper his efforts at winning.
Rocky Fielding was at 175lbs… Just a hater with a platform..