By Don Young: IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant has made up his mind that he’s going to sit inactive until September and wait for WBA/WBC champ Canelo Alvarez to fight him for the undisputed 168-lb championship.
Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) says he’s not concerned about ring rust because he always fights twice a year, and he’s already fought once in 2021 against Caleb Truax on January 30th.
Canelo will have fought twice this year by the time he meets Plant in September, and then after that, he’ll be fighting in December.
It looks too obvious what Plant is doing by sitting and waiting to get his lottery payday against Canelo. That’s the perception that boxing fans have about Plant since learning that he’s going to sit and wait.
Plant’s reluctance to stay active while waiting for the unification fight against Canelo is the behavior of a fighter that lacks the self-confidence needed to stay active.
From the fan’s perspective, Plant is someone that doesn’t want to get back in the ring because he might lose. In other words, Plant is just waiting for his cash-out fight against Canelo in September before retiring or sliding back into mediocrity.
Inactivity not a big deal for Plant
“I’m letting it rest. That’s the reason. Letting it rest and making sure it’s properly rested and fully healed,” said Plant to Fighthype when asked why he won’t be fighting until September.
“At this level, I fight twice a year. Fighting in January and fighting in September, that would be twice.
That’s exactly what I’m used to, and what most fighters are used to at this level, fighting twice a year. It’s not like it’s an issue or out of character.
“I don’t know, everybody is different,” said Plant when asked if Canelo will have an advantage over him due to his activity.
“I’m looking forward to September, and I’m looking forward to getting in there and showing the world that I’m the best,” said Plant.
It’s not just about inactivity. By Plant staying inactive for the next months waiting for the Canelo fight, he’s stunting the amount of interest that fans will in seeing the fight.
If Plant were to take on David Benavidez now and beat him, it would create more interest from boxing fans when eventually does fight Canelo in September.
Plant says he wants Canelo to fight him on Fox pay-per-view, which is a good idea. But the fight could make more money if Plant fought someone like Benavidez, Edgar Berlanga, David Morrell, or Bektemir Melikuziev while he’s waiting for September.
Fighting one of those guys would be a huge positive for Plant, and it would bring him more money in the form of PPV buys.
The fight that Plant should take is Benavidez because that’s a guy that has been talking trash about him. If not Benavidez, Berlanga, Morrell or ‘Bully’ Melikuziev.
That would show boxing fans that he’s got the confidence in himself to give Canelo a fight that he may lose.
If Plant follows his idea of just sitting inactive for the next six months, no one is going to believe in him, and they’ll just see his fight against Canelo as a pathetic cash-grab.
Caleb warns Alvarez not to fall asleep
“It’s disappointing really,” said Plant about Canelo’s opponent Avni Yildirim. “You’re just shelling up. You’re not moving your feet or moving your head.
“You got to at least go out on your shield. You can’t just shell up. You can’t just quit on your stool. That’s him, I guess.
“I can do a lot of different things. I feel like I can put my punches together in combination,” said Plant. “I feel like I’m a well-rounded fighter, and I can do a lot of different things. In September when that bell rings, I feel I can show you more than I can tell you.
“He better not fall asleep come September, I know that,” said Plant in reaction to being told that Canelo said he fell asleep during his last fight against Caleb Truax.
Plant should understand why Canelo said he fell asleep during his fight with Truax. Canelo is sending Plant a helpful message, letting him know that he needs to make his fights more exciting.
Although he’s not saying it, Canelo would probably be pleased if Plant took another fight while waiting for September because that would help their promotion.
Canelo doesn’t want to fight guys that only view him as a payday and have no confidence that they can win. As I mentioned, Plant is showing signs of a fighter that doesn’t believe in himself and is just waiting for his payday.
Plant: I’m going to be in Canelo’s face
“I don’t party, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke,” said Plant. “I’m dedicated to my craft. My goal is to become undisputed. I’m chasing greatness, that’s what I want.
“My last fight against Truax was a mandatory in back-to-back mandatory’s. That way I would have an entire year free and clear to make unification fights.
“In September, I’m going to be in his face. I truly believe I’m the guy,” said Plant when asked why he believes he’ll beat Canelo.
“Callum [Smith] got in there and just went from corner to corner, rope to rope, and got beat up. Yildirim got in there and after three rounds, he quit on his stool.
“I don’t fear Canelo like that, I’m not scared of him. Whatever he’s accomplished, whatever he’s done, he hasn’t done it against me.
“I feel in my heart I’m going to have my hand raised and be the first undisputed super middleweight champion,” said Plant.
The way that Plant is talking, he sounds like he’s describing his fight with Mike Lee or Caleb Truax. He was able to stay in their faces because they lacked the power and talent to check him.
Fighting in a bold manner against Canelo will result in Plant getting knocked out quickly. His face marks up too easily, and he doesn’t have the greatest chin. For Plant to stay in the pocket with Canelo, he would need more punching power.