By Vince D’Writer: For an extended period of time, the WBC Interim super-middleweight champion David Benavidez has been seeking an opportunity to face the undisputed super-middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, and on Saturday night, March 25th, Benavidez got one step closer as he defeated the former IBF champion Caleb Plant (22-2, 13 KOs) by way of unanimous decision.
Going into the fight, Benavidez and Plant shared a strong dislike for each other, and they also shared a common goal. Benavidez was looking to score a victory in order to finally earn a shot at Canelo, while Plant was attempting to post a win in order to qualify for a rematch with the undisputed super-middleweight champion.
After sharing the stage for a couple of heated face-offs, it was finally time for the two former world champions to settle their differences inside the squared circle. Live on Showtime pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, in front of a sold-out crowd of 13,865, Benavidez and Plant gave the fans a very entertaining contest.
Plant was able to win the opening round by utilizing constant movement, a consistent jab, and well-placed body shots. He would repeat his success in the second round, but Benavidez came alive in the third as he established the range to land the left hook.
Back in November 2021, when Caleb Plant fought Canelo Alvarez, Plant had success in the first half of the fight, but things fell apart in the second half. During his bout against Benavidez, history would repeat itself as Plant had a solid first half, but he was dominated down the stretch.
Benavidez was able to close the distance, neutralize Caleb Plant’s movement, and land sharp shots to the body and head of his opponent. In the sixth round, the 26-year-old Benavidez pressed forward, and instead of connecting with single shots, he finally landed a few combinations.
The 8th round was a big round for Benavidez as he targeted Plant’s body. With 1:15 left to go in the round, Benavidez landed a big right hand that wobbled Plant. After Plant successfully grabbed and held on, trying to survive, Benavidez clipped him with a big left hand with 25 seconds remaining in the round.
While Benavidez took over the fight by utilizing right hands, left hooks, and uppercuts, Caleb Plant survived down the stretch by trying to counter, and when trying to fight back failed, he aggressively held David Benavidez. However, at the end of 12 rounds of action, the judges scored the bout 115-113, 116-112, and 117-111, all in favor of David Benavidez.
It was an entertaining hard, fought match, and in the end, Benavidez and Plant developed a mutual respect for each other. Now Benavidez is ready to move on, and during his post-fight interview, he spoke about his future plans.
“I want to tell everyone that I have a lot of respect for Canelo Alvarez, but he needs to give me that shot now.” Benavidez went on to say, “That’s what everyone wants to see, me versus Canelo. I don’t think he’s trying to avoid me. He has a lot of options. But now the fans will be calling for this fight. The legends will be calling for this fight, and so, let’s make it happen.”
Benavidez doesn’t think Canelo is trying to avoid him, but most fans and members of the boxing community are starting to believe that Alvarez is avoiding Benavidez. Actions speak louder than words, and Canelo’s actions have clearly illustrated that he doesn’t want to fight David Benavidez.
Every time the name David Benavidez comes up, Canelo Alvarez either gets visibly frustrated or attempts to change the subject. After defeating Gennadiy “Triple G” Golovkin back in September 2022, Alvarez claimed Benavidez didn’t deserve a title shot due to his weak resume, but a few months later, Alvarez agreed to fight John Ryder, a man who has five losses.
David Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) is a former two-time WBC super-middleweight champion who just defeated the former IBF champion, that happens to be a common opponent of the current undisputed super-middleweight champion. The Alvarez vs. Plant clash is very similar to the Benavidez vs. Plant matchup.
Both bouts started with Caleb Plant getting off to a fast start, and both ended with Plant getting dominated down the stretch. The only difference between the two fights is Canelo Alvarez scored a TKO in the 11th, while David Benavidez failed to get the stoppage due to referee Kenny Bayless allowing Plant to utilize excessive holding and clinching tactics.
The boxing legends want the match, the boxing community wants the match, and most importantly, the fans want to see a clash between Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez. The question is will Canelo give the boxing public what they are asking for?
Canelo wants a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, but honestly, he doesn’t deserve a rematch with Bivol because he was defeated by a unanimous decision. Why should a champion defend his title for a second time against a man he already beat by a unanimous decision?
A Bivol-Alvarez rematch is not a fight that’s in public demand. What the fans want to see is Dmitry Bivol vs Artur Beterbiev, and Canelo Alvarez vs David Benavidez.