Caleb ‘Sweethands’ Plant doesn’t believe that Canelo Alvarez has improved since having major “trouble” in his fights against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Erislandy Lara many years ago.
(Photo credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME)
Canelo (56-1-2, 38 KOs) had repeatedly told the fans in the last couple of years that he’s a “different fighter” than he was when he lost to Mayweather by a 12 round decision in 2013.
IBF super middleweight champion Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) asks where the proof during the last seven years of Canelo’s career shows that he’s improved is?
Canelo hasn’t improved
The truth is, Canelo hasn’t fought ANYONE like Mayweather or Lara since 2014, so it’s impossible to know with 100% accuracy that he’s improved at all.
We know that Canelo has gotten bigger, but you’d have to make a colossal stretch into fantasyland to say that he’s a better fighter now than he was back then.
Canelo looks older and has lost hand speed, and his work rate has dropped dramatically over the last seven years. You can’t say Canelo is better than he was at 22 & 23.
He’s 31 now, and he looks older, and stamina is just as bad if not worse than it was back then when he struggled against Mayweather and Lara.
“I possess a lot of the same skills and attributes that those guys did, and they gave him a lot of trouble,” Plant said about Erislandy Lara and Floyd Mayweather Jr, who gave Canelo problems. “I’m a full-fledged super middleweight.
“Fighters like Amir Khan, I possess the same skills and speed, but I’m 6’1” and full-fledged super middleweight. “I’ve been fighting at this weight for a long time.
“Since he [Canelo] had those fighters that he had trouble with, who has he fought to prove that he no longer has trouble with that,” said Plant in speaking the obvious about Canelo facing opposition nothing like Lara and Mayweather during the last seven years of his career.
Canelo has fought guys that are entirely different from Mayweather and Lara in the last seven years. As a result, you can’t say he’s gotten better, especially when you look at how he’s aged with his appearance and his work rate dropping off.
The Canelo fans make excuses for his work rate going down by saying that he’s loading up on his shots and making every punch counter, and that’s not the reason.
What Canelo is doing is what aging fighters do. He’s considering his energy, given that he doesn’t have the engine to throw a lot of shots as he used to without gassing out.
You can argue that Canelo’s work rate dropped off after he gassed out in his fight with Gennadiy Golovkin, as he appeared to lose five of the last six rounds. Since the Golovkin fight, Canelo has paced himself, throwing very few shots, so he doesn’t gas out.
Plant not worried about his cut
“I know I’m the hungrier fighter,” said Plant. “I’m going to get my hands raised by any means necessary, so whatever is possible. I’m relaxed, calm, and confident and waiting for the bell to ring on Saturday night.
“I think a lot of you know what I’m here to do. I’ve said it many times before, and I’m not going to keep repeating,” said Caleb Plant on Wednesday. “You know what I’m here for.
“It’s under my eye regardless, so I don’t have to worry about it,” said Plant about the cut he sustained during last September’s press conference with Canelo in Los Angeles.
Plant whistles past the graveyard with him, saying his cut won’t be a problem because it’s under his eye. Wishful thinking on Plant’s part because there’s a good chance it will open on Saturday, and if that happens, Canelo is going to pour it on to shoot for a stoppage.
Canelo ,Plant hasn’t faced any of the name greats. No experience with any of the greats. This is all new to him. Remember Holyfield Stewart? Stewart had a long unbeaten record and Holyfield easily threw him over a long and made him yell susie! Stewart got a lot tougher after that fight. Plant may I introduce you to the log.
Canelo has cheated avoided and convinced that he is the best he is in a sense but it doesn’t makes sense if he fought underneath his real caliber of fighters the only great fight he had was with Mayweather as a introduction of who he was and how to beat him period
LMFAO Canelo will KO plant in 7
Contaminated meat & tea?🤣🤣🤣 whole camp cheaters.
Caleb says, canelo hasn’t fought anybody since Mayweather and lara. Who has caleb fought.
Caleb has the recipe for the upset. He will need to throw some combinations and get out of there. One punch jab all night will not keep Canelo back
Why didn’t plant fight the Charlo brothers or triple g?????avid reader for boxing world seen alot of fighting since 1959on up to 2021 J
Whatever about Plant. BJS was fast, and guick hands good foot work, a true Champion no lose record a big mouth, but, stepping up to a power punch with good defensive moves, good chin, , Mr. Plant will need to dance, all it takes is one power punch of Mr SCA when his flat foot. Tough talk like all the champs that fought Canelo. Remember it’s 12 3 min. Rounds of backing up for plant, he is no the fighter like Lara, GGG, not F Mayweather.
I hate to admit it but…this guy is right.
Canelo lost 1st fight and won rematch in my books. Canelo has improved mainly defense. I think canelo is on some PEDs
I have. Not heard of any boxer Plant has fought against. There’s levels to this. Just because your undefeated doesn’t mean your great. Canelo will stop him in 8 rounds. Caleb will take the first two rounds but then he will get hit and feel the power and eventually get KO.
There is Something to be said of Mexican Heritage When Plant used those words and got hit by Canelonon the weigh-in, those are fighting in the streets as well as the ring . If Canelo Loses he’s head He would lose but Canelo will knock him out because this a case of Honor and Respect . Plant crossed the line He will be humiliated . Canelo KO’s Plant in the 7th . Thanks for letting Me share
Canelo is trash!
Let’s hope Caleb wins this. It’s hard to bet against canelo but Caleb has a real chance here. Tripple g beat him both times you can’t dispute that but plant doesn’t have close to the power tripple g has.
None of the record books that I’ve looked at list Golovkin as beating Canelo twice. Canelo’s record is 1-0-1 against him.
You wouldn’t simply be giving us the results that you prefer instead of the ones that actually went down, would you?
That’s a common malady of the modern fight fan. Unable to accept decisions that don’t see their favorite come up on top.
GGG won the first fight, total BS
Plant is correct about what he’s been saying. Canelo hasn’t fought anyone on Mayweather or Lara’s level in a long time. Canelo has tested positive in the past. That being said, Plant has never fought anyone ranked top 5. Canelo still wins.
I mean no one is on Mayweathers level so what’s your point?
Caleb gt this im behind him for sure he’s all natural no substance an quicker I fairly think he’s a better fighter
Canelo looking slower and not as busy fighter like in the past. Plant has a great shot of beating him. Plant UD
If you talk and show up like and get bullied around, throwing one punch at a time and let Canelo get off first, then you’ll finish like everyone else. Even Buster Douglas backed up Mike Tyson and threw combinations repeatedly, and eventually Tyson ran out of gas. Same recipe for Canelo.
I said it before go look at Julio caeser Chavez vs Frankie Randal
Plant has a chance if canelo doesn’t knock him out canelo will loose
Caleb needs to drop him to win. Judges aren’t going to give it to him. (Cough, cough, Lara, GGG)
Canelo lost to GGG twice. I was with Canelo.
Keep that same energy after the results of the fight when Plant loses by UD or KO
You’re crazy if you think Canelo hasn’t improved. He has become a more efficient, accurate and deadly counter puncher with excellent head movement. Having said that, Saunders had him frustrated in the last fight and Plant is a quicker, stronger and more disciplined version. Plant is not wrong about this. Canelo has definitely improved, but Caleb has a real shot
If you believe that, I got some property in Arizona,with great Ocean views, buy it now, before its all gone !!!!!
Canelo lost both fights against Tripple GGG ! Caleb will defeat him squarely,I don’t understand why everyone is trying to write Caleb off as if he’s not a boxer? Canelo will go down because he’s been cheating and the forces behind keep cheating for him
1000% agree with you. If the judges are fair, Caleb has a chance.
I concur