By Sean Jones: Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant had an entire conversation during the ninth round last Saturday night in their undisputed super middleweight championship at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The fans didn’t appreciate the talking because they were booing loudly, considering that neither guy was during much in the ninth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT0HLZLHjR8
Plant (21-1, 12 KOs) was the one that kept the chatter going with Canelo, and it appeared that he was looking to get the Mexican star to take it easy on him.
By that point in that fight, Plant was exhausted and no longer competitive. He was running around the ring, talking to Canelo while the fans booed the non-action.
This fight was a real disappointment because Plant had no power and was slowly beaten up by Canelo from the fourth round on.
Caleb Plant: “You’re pretty good. Am I pretty good?”
Canelo Alvarez: “Yeah.”
Plant: “This is a good fight right here.”
Canelo: “I like it.”
Plant: “I respect your skills.”
Canelo: “I know.”
Plant: “I’m pretty good for 21-0, huh?”
Caleb Plant had a full conversation with Canelo during Round 9 😅 #CaneloPlant
(via @ShowtimeBoxing) pic.twitter.com/zcesmVCW7G
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) November 8, 2021
Beterbiev too dangerous for Canelo?
Carl Frampton: “I would pick a [Mairis] Brieids fight over a light heavyweight,” said Carl Frampton to BT Sport Boxing on what Canelo should do next. “I think Briedis is an amazing fighter, by the way, but I think he [Canelo] has a better chance of beating Briedis than he does Beterbiev.
“I would stay away from him. Canelo is an unbelievable fighter, but Beterbiev, I think, would just be a step too far,” said Frampton.
David Haye: “I think tonight showed how great he [Canelo] is,” said David Haye. “He looked like from our point of view that he was struggling, but was he struggling? Did it go exactly to plan? I don’t know.
“He [Canelo] took him out in round eleven, which on paper looks like a really good victory. But you’re talking about him going up to cruiserweight.
“Roy Jones moved up all the way to heavyweight and won a heavyweight title from John Ruiz. So he was originally a middleweight, so anything is possible.
“He [Canelo] seems that good that he could go up and do the unthinkable and fight cruiserweight,” said Haye. “Heavyweights, the modern-day heavyweights, are too big, but cruiserweight are 200 pounds.
“I think it’s possible. He’s [Canelo] that good. Even given his stature, he’s that good. He could do something crazy like that for sure,” said Haye about his view that Canelo can go up to cruiserweight and have success.
Frampton: “That boy has the chin to do it, I think,” said Frampton of Canelo. “He backs himself as well, and he can take shots off most of the guys at light heavyweight and cruiserweight.
“Again, we talk about Beterbiev; he’s a dangerous, dangerous man. I say at light heavyweight; he punches harder than any of the cruiserweight. I think I would bypass him and go to cruiserweight,” said Frampton.
Calzaghe gives Canelo a chance against Beterbiev
Mark Tibbs: “I don’t see it happening too near in the future,” said trainer Mark Tibbs when asked if we could see Canelo lose soon. “He’s performing, he’s delivering, he’s entertaining, and he’s the masterful box fighter,” said Tibbs.
Frampton: “[David] Benavidez is a good fight for him at super middleweight, I think,” said Frampton of Canelo. “If he stays at super middleweight, I think that’s the only fight that would get fans excited at super middleweight.”
Joe Calzaghe: “Yeah, I think I could have beaten him,” Calzaghe said of Canelo. “Obviously, he’s a great fighter. Yeah, my style would have caused him a lot of trouble.
“It would be a really tough fight, of course, but every champion wants to fight the best. It would be a tremendous fight, but unfortunately, it isn’t going to happen.
“Of course, he’s [Canelo] only 31, so he still has a few years left. I’d like to see him go to light heavyweight. I think he actually has a good chance against Beterbiev. I think he’s a big, big puncher, but he’s a more one-dimensional Eastern European.
“Canelo struggles with movers, speed, and fast combinations, as we’ve seen in the past. But he’s got a great chin, I think. Beterbiev, I think that’ll be a decent fight. Maybe cruiserweight and heavyweight is a bit too far,” said Calzaghe.
