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By Jim Calfa: Bernard Hopkins says Caleb Plant will “shock everybody” by defeating WBC interim super middleweight champion David Benavidez on March 25th in their grudge match on Showtime pay-per-view.

Bernard sees things upside down compared to most of the boxing fans, who feel that the youth, speed, size & power of Benavidez will be too much for Plant (22-1, 13 KOs).

We saw Plant fall apart against Canelo Alvarez, a fighter that many feel Benavidez would destroy, and he came close to losing to Jose Uzcategui when he gassed out after nine rounds.

Hopkins feels that Plant’s “blue collar” worth ethic will carry him to victory against the former two-time WBC 168-lb champion Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs).

The way that Hopkins describes Plant, he seems to think that he’s going to stay in the pocket and go to war with Benavidez on March 25th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. If Hopkins saw Plant’s last fight against Anthony Dirrell, he’d think differently.

Plant was on his bike the entire fight up until he stopped pedaling and stopped to throw a left hook that knocked the 38-year-old Dirrell out in the ninth round last October.

Plant will shock everybody

“I like Plant. Not only do I like his spirit and how he comes to fight, but I also think he has the style and the opportunity right now; he has the most mental,” said Bernard Hopkins to Fight Hub TV, picking Caleb Plant over David Benavidez for their March 25th fight.

“He might not have the most talent out of both of them, but I believe he has the worth ethic and blue-collar mentality,” Hopkins says about Plant. “I just think he wins the fight and shocks everybody and wins it’s not easy, but he’s not going to have as much difficulty as people predicted.

“I think this is going to be one of those upsets that people, if they want to call it that, are going to be surprised about. I like him to win. I see the consistency that he does, and he knows that you don’t get too many chances like that, and he had a few, and I don’t think he’s going to pass up on it.

“I think he’s more hungry to win, and it’s not just because of what’s been going on with the back & forth and all that. You can read two ways in that. One way we know that they’re promoting it,” Hopkins said.

Caleb has better grit

Past that, I just believe he [Plant] has the better grit that he wants it more, and I think if he fights the fight that he’s been fighting lately, I don’t think it’s going to be as difficult as you think it’s going to be,” said Bernard.

“It will be a decision fight unless someone gets cut, but other than that. I think it’ll be a hard fight. I think both fighters will spend two fights of their career come that night of the fight.

“The bad blood is true, but I just think that these taller, longer arms, but think Plant is going to take that away because Plant likes to fight the way he likes to fight, and I don’t think that’s going to change in this fight.

“I think it’s going to be a fight of will more than the heart. It’s going to be the will that wins this fight.

“I think he’s an excellent fighter. I just think this is a bad match-up for him. He might fire the matchmaker after this fight. I just think that if you look at his style and pay attention to where he started and where he’s at, you wouldn’t think he’s a boogeyman based on the lack of expectations of what he came,” said Hopkins about Benavidez.

“Now, he’s lived up to the potential that they thought then. That’s why they might say that thinks that. I just think he’s been who he’s been, and just now, he’s shown it even more by being successful and winning. That’s the key,” Hopkins said about Benavidez.