By Dan Ambrose: Caleb ‘Sweet’hands’ Plant is now training with former super middleweight champion Andre ‘SOG’ Ward to help prepare for his November 6th undisputed 168-lb clash against Canelo Alvarez.
With Ward’s knowledge, Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) could learn enough to defeat Canelo (56-1-2, 38 KOs) in a short period. As it is, Plant’s Mayweather-esque fighting style might be good enough already to beat Canelo. Plant has got the kryptonite to weaken Canelo, making him into a mere mortal.
We saw how Floyd Mayweather Jr. totally schooled Canelo in 2013, and he had equal problems against Erislandy Lara in 2014. You can’t say Canelo knows how to beat Mayweather’s fighting style because he’s never proven that he can.
Sweethands already has the skills to beat Canelo
Plant only needs to fine-tune his fighting style here and there, and he’ll be ready to beat Canelo on November 6th as long as the Mexican star doesn’t pull out due to his feelings getting hurt by the trash-talking from Caleb.
Ward and Canelo both fought Sergey Kovalev, but there was a big difference between them.
Aiming right for the head not aiming to please. UNDISPUTEDxUNDISPUTED @andreward pic.twitter.com/aJ8TXz23lr
— CalebPlant (@SweetHandsPlant) September 4, 2021
Kovalev fought like he was taking it easy on Canelo. Some believe he intentionally lost the fight out of gratitude for the Mexican star picking him and giving him the big career-high multi-million dollar payday late in his career.
Ward fought Kovalev was still at his best and beat him twice fair and square. Kovalev looked so bad against Ward.
Plant has the skills to beat Canelo
“Canelo is one of the best fighters in the world, but I’m rocking with Caleb,” said trainer Dewey Cooper to Mayweather Channel in picking Plant to beat Alvarez.
“I remember watching him starting and sparring here. I got a lot of love for Caleb. Caleb Plant is so swaggy to me. He’s so cool.
“Even though Canelo will be the favorite and should win the fight because right now he’s pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world.
“So it’s going to be hard to dethrone someone like Canelo, but we saw [Billy Joe] Saunders put some swag in his last fight and made it a little difficult.
“I think Caleb is a much better boxer than him [Saunders], faster hands, a little more confident. So I’m rocking with my man, super swag, Caleb Plant,” said Cooper.
Dewey could be right. Plant has the skills, size, jab, and mobility to make Canelo look bad.
“Canelo is the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the world,” said unbeaten lightweight contender Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero.
“Caleb is going to jab the f*** out of Canelo over and over again, but the power shots that Canelo is going to throw is going to win the fight. Canelo,” said Rolly.
Tabiti: Plant has that Mayweather style
“Canelo is great. He’s one of my favorite fighters,” said cruiserweight Andrew Tabiti to Fighthype. “At 175, Artur Beterbiev. Someone like that,” said Tabiti when asked who has the best shot at beating Canelo.
“Caleb Plant, I feel he’s going to give Canelo a hard time because he’s hard to hit. I sparred Caleb Plant before. He has a style just like Floyd.
Can he win and go in there and withstand the pressure? We never know in this game. He has a good shot at beating Canelo. He’s [Plant] smaller than me, so it’s not like a light heavyweight’s punches.
“It’s quick stuff. I remember he has a quick left hook. So if he puts his punches together and stays on defense, I think he’d give Canelo a hard time,” said Tabiti on Plant.
Tabiti knows from experience how talented Plant is from their sparring, and as he says, he’s got the Mayweather fighting style.