Former IBF super middleweight champion Caleb ‘Sweethands’ Plant will be attempting to earn a much-desired rematch with Canelo Alvarez by facing the dangerous ‘Mexican Monster’ David Benavidez on March 25th in the main event on Showtime pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 26-year-old undefeated former two-time WBC super middleweight champion Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) will have his interim belt on the line for the fight when he defends it against ‘Sweethands’ Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) in a match that could result in the winner getting a shot at undisputed 168-lb champion Canelo.
With Canelo saying he won’t be fighting any Mexican fighters, that means only the 30-year-old Plant has a real shot at getting a fight with him, not Benavidez.
“I can’t wait until they put me in the ring with him so I can beat his a**,” said former WBC super middleweight champion David Benavídez about Caleb Plant.
“I can’t wait to step in there and give everyone the beatdown they’re coming to see.”
Benavidez is convinced that he will tear the light-hitting, stamina-vulnerable Plant apart when he gets him inside the ring.
Perhaps in Benavidez’s mind, the most challenging part of smashing Plant is trying to catch up to him because he moves around the ring like Karen Chukhadzhian, the welterweight that Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis chased all night earlier this month in their 12 round bout on the Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia card in Washington, D.C.
That’s not to say that Plant won’t attempt to win, but he will likely be moving so much that the judges may need to score the rounds based on a small number of landed shots from both fighters.
Plant doesn’t possess the power, chin, or stamina to stand and trade with Benavidez the way traditional fighters would.
“After I knocked out [Anthony] Dirrell, I made it clear I wanted to go after the biggest fight that could be made in the division,” said ‘Sweethands’ Plant.
Caleb showed some rare power knocking out the 38-year-old former two-time WBC super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell in the ninth round last October in Brooklyn, New York. The fight was razor-close at the time Plant stopped moving for a second to land a sneaky left hook that Dirrell wasn’t expecting.
After knocking Dirrell out, Plant used the opportunity to showboat by pretending to shovel dirt on him while he was still unconscious. It was disturbing to watch the display of poor sportsmanship from Plant.
“I’m here again, showing the world why I’m one of the biggest attractions in boxing,” said Plant. “Not only to give the fans what they’ve been waiting for but to show who the better man is.”