Dirrell vs Plant FOX PPV Quotes

By Premier Boxing - 10/06/2022 - Comments

Former super middleweight world champions Caleb “Sweethands” Plant and Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell shared insights into their respective training camps and more during a virtual press conference Wednesday ahead of their upcoming WBC Super Middleweight Title Eliminator on Saturday, October 15 in the co-main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by BombZquad Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through seatgeek.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets are also available for purchase in-person at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.

The former 168 pound world champions made their mutual intentions clear at the fight’s introductory press conference, with each declaring that they would have their hand raised on October 15. The former IBF champion Plant returns to the ring after his first career defeat in a 2021 undisputed title fight against Canelo Alvarez, while the two-time WBC champion Dirrell seeks to add another signature victory on his way to a third world title opportunity.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:

CALEB PLANT

“He can feel how he wants, but he’s not going to do anything on fight night. He says he’s ‘The Dog’, but he does a lot of woofing. He woofs a whole lot because he’s a puppy dog, but he doesn’t follow through. He’s trying to hype himself up.

“I’m going to put a vicious whooping on him on October 15. I’m going to teach him a life lesson when we get into the ring.

“He’s retiring after this. He’s done. I’m going to beat him in such a way that he won’t want to be a part of this anymore.

“I’ve been having a lot of fun in the gym. This has been the best quality of sparring that I’ve ever had, and the most success I’ve had in sparring during camp. I sparred Carlos Adames, Shane Mosley Jr., Kyrone Davis and other great fighters. It’s been top quality sparring. Having Stephen Edwards on the team with my dad has given us great chemistry. We’re relaxed and easygoing, but also getting after it.

“He’s not a bully. He likes to act like a bully. I don’t care where he’s from. His team has been barking for years, but none of that means anything to me.

“I’m only focused on the task at hand and the fight in front of me. Just because I know that I’m going to beat him, doesn’t mean that I’m looking past him. The only way to get to your long term goals is by accomplishing your short term ones.

“I’ve always been about legacy. I know that if I make the right moves in the ring, everything else will come with it. First thing first is handling business on October 15. That’s the first step toward bigger and better fights and cementing my legacy as the greatest super middleweight of this era.

“He’s never had one successful title defense. He knocked out a blown up middleweight in his last fight. We’re not even in the same galaxy as that guy he fought. The list goes on and on, and he says what he wants, but when is the last time he beat a true super middleweight?

“The biggest thing I took from the Canelo Alvarez fight is the experience in general. Experience isn’t something you can buy. You have to go through it to get it. Obviously I came up short and there’s no excuses there. I got right back with my team and went back to work.

“I’m going in there focused. We have a game plan and we’re going to get the job done in fashion. Whether that’s stopping him, or putting a whooping on him for 12 rounds, regardless I’m going to have my hand raised.

“My hunger comes because I keep the priority the priority. I don’t box to be famous or rich. It’s nice, but that was never the main goal. The goal is to be one of the greatest of all time. No matter what I have, I keep the mentality of repping for the ‘have nots.’ You can’t accomplish what I want to accomplish without that focus.”

ANTHONY DIRRELL

“He’s just one of those guys that I want to really f*** up. That’s the task at hand, get in there and f*** him up.

“The game plan is to go in there and be ‘The Dog.’ If I can do that, I win the fight for sure. I’m just really ready to get in the ring and have my hand raised.

“My camp has been really good and injury-free. I’ve been getting rounds in week after week and I’m ready to go. If I could fight tomorrow, I would.

“You don’t change too much from camp to camp, you just adjust tactics and things like that. Every camp you go in there and give it your all. We’ve tweaked what we had to in order to prepare for Plant.

“If you want to be great you have to make sacrifices. If you don’t want to be great, you won’t do that. I’m training my ass off and I’m ready for Caleb Plant.

“I’ve been working with SugarHill Steward since I was 13-years-old. He’s an A+ trainer and everyone knows it. A lot of people want to go to him now. He’s one of the family members now and he has been for years. When you have someone in your corner that you can trust, it really boosts your confidence more.

“I know what I’m doing. I’ve seen Caleb fight and he’s a nice boxer. But I’ve fought those guys before and it’s nothing. He’s just another guy in front of me who wants to defeat me.

“Caleb was boxing well in the early rounds against Canelo Alvarez, but then he got on his horse and ran for the rest of it. He was getting on his horse and moving. That’s what I saw.

“I know what I’m capable of. But I want to show everybody else what I’m still able to do. If I didn’t believe in myself, then I wouldn’t be here.

“Me growing up in the city of Flint and being great and being the best person I can be is a positive message. That’s what I want the kids there to see. If you give it your all, nobody can complain about that.

“Caleb Plant is the only thing that’s crossed my mind. That’s all I’m focused on. Everything else can wait until after the fact.”

“I don’t care about Caleb Plant and I don’t care what he says,” said Dirrell. “If I go in there and fight up to my capabilities, I’ll come out victorious for sure. I’m doing this for myself. If you’re doing it for something other than yourself and your family, then you’re doing it wrong I think. I’m here to prove to myself that I still have it. I don’t care what people think or say. As long as I keep positivity in my circle, then I’ll be fine.”

Dirrell has conducted training with his longtime coach, the renowned SugarHill Steward, at their typical base camp at Delray Boxing in Delray Beach, Florida. As a fighter who has frequented the region throughout his career, he made sure to pass along his support for those in the state affected by Hurricane Ian.

“Luckily the area we’re staying in didn’t get hit that hard by Hurricane Ian,” said Dirrell. “So we’re alright thankfully, but I know others haven’t been as fortunate and I just hope everyone is staying as safe as possible.

“Camp has been good and I’m feeling healthy. We’re just working on what we need to work on to beat Caleb Plant. That’s it. We come up with game plans and stick to those game plans. If something isn’t working, we move to the next game plan. We’re just ready to fight.”

A native of Flint, Michigan, Dirrell will look to add a signature victory to his already storied career, against another fighter looking to regain their championship status in Plant. Although Dirrell fought on the undercard of Plant’s previous fight, an undisputed title bout loss to Canelo Alvarez, he has kept his focus on his own training instead of studying the bout.

“I’m not even really thinking about Caleb and what he does honestly,” said Dirrell. “I only saw Caleb’s fight against Canelo when I was at the arena. Bits and pieces of it. We know what Caleb does and we know what he brings to the table. All I worry about is what I can do as a fighter.”

Having twice captured the super middleweight championship, Dirrell will return to fight at Barclays Center for the second time. His first outing came in his first ever world title fight, as he fought Sakio Bika to a draw in 2013, before beating him in the rematch to win the WBC belt. Although he has fond memories of Brooklyn, Dirrell has maintained his laser focus on the task at hand on October 15.

“Brooklyn has always been good, but I’m just focused on the fight,” said Dirrell. “People get too caught up in circumstances and lose focus on what they have to do as fighters. I’m always going to go in there and be ‘The Dog.’”

As fight night nears, the veteran Dirrell knows that looking past a fight can have dire consequences. Even for a fighter who has admitted that he’s nearing the end of his career, he’s maintained his dedication to the day in and day out work that has helped him already accomplish so much.

“We’re going to have to see what happens in this fight,” said Dirrell. “I’m not worried about anything after this fight. That’s out of my control right now. What’s in my control is what’s happening in the gym every day.”

Here is what Plant, and his new trainer Stephen “Breadman” Edwards had to say Tuesday from DLX Boxing Gym in Las Vegas:

CALEB PLANT

“To me, Dirrell was the one who was tense at our press conference. He was getting frustrated and getting loud and couldn’t think of anything to say. What I took away is that I’m on his mind. I feel like I’m living rent-free in his head. He knows he has a top-quality opponent in front of him and someone he can’t mess with. I don’t know where his head’s at, but I know where mine is and I’m ready to rock.

“I’m feeling really good. We’ve been having a great training camp with excellent sparring. It’s been a little bit since I’ve been in the ring, so I’m just excited for the buildup.

“Me and my dad (Richie Plant) brought in a great trainer in ‘Breadman’. I’m just doing a crazy amount of work in the gym sparring top guys. I’m fully-prepared and ready to roll.

“Regardless of who it is in the ring, it’s just somebody who’s in the way of my goals and what I set out to do. If you’re in my way, I take that personally. I’m not just disciplined during camp, I’m working like this year-round.

“I’m just looking to make a statement and put on a big show. I’m coming off the big fight against Canelo Alvarez, and I’ve just been training hard. Ever since that fight, my team has been in the dungeon and we can’t wait for the bell to ring so we can show the world what we’re working on.

“Right now all I’m thinking about is October 15. I wanted the biggest fight that could possibly be made coming off a loss, and this was the name we got. He’s a former two-time champion, so this is the fight that I wanted. After this, I’m looking for the next biggest fight that can be made. Doesn’t matter if it’s Jermall Charlo, David Benavidez or anyone else.

“I feel young and I feel fresh. I’m nowhere close to being done with everything that I want to accomplish in boxing.

“I’m excited to be fighting at Barclays Center for the first time. I know I’ve got fans in that area so I can’t wait to pull up and see what the energy is like. Most importantly, I’m just ready to fight.

“My wife Jordan gave me a pair of Grant gloves that I train with, and for this fight she got our daughter’s name engraved on them, which really helps remind me what I’m fighting for while I’m in the gym training.”

STEPHEN “BREADMAN” EDWARDS, Plant’s Trainer

“We’re having a great training camp. Caleb gives you 100% every day. He’s a fast learner, he’s organized and he’s on schedule. I can’t say enough about his work ethic. Now we just need to translate it to the fight.

“Caleb has a big upside and he doesn’t have a lot of wear and tear for a 30-year-old. He’s got a lot of potential and he’s in a stacked division. He’s got a chance to really leave his legacy in the game by coming out on top in some of these marquee matchups.

“This is going to be a really good fight. I have a lot of respect for Anthony Dirrell. He’s a good fighter and a good puncher. I do believe that Caleb has the decided speed advantage and is a little bit of a better athlete. The bad blood makes the fight intriguing, because when guys have personal issues, it tends to make them fight harder. I expect a violent fight with both guys being tested, but I believe Caleb has more advantages.

“I have to give Caleb days off to take his mind off of boxing, because he works so hard and is an intense guy. He goes 100% every workout and that’s a testament to his ability level. When you get the most out of your workouts, you keep progressing and getting better and better.

“I want to take it one fight at a time. What happens in the future is not really my decision. Hopefully we’re going to be successful and I’ll have a long stay with Caleb. I’m definitely not looking past this opponent. Dirrell says he has a lot of animosity for Caleb, so I expect it to be a really hard fight.”

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by BombZquad Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through seatgeek.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets are also available for purchase in-person at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.