By Dan Ambrose: David Benavidez says he’s going to knock Caleb Plant out and break his jaw on Saturday, March 25th when he defends his interim WBC super middleweight title in the main event on Showtime PPV at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
During the face-off at today’s final press conference, Benavidez says he told Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) that he’s going to knock him out.
Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) has wanted to get a chance to put Plant in his place for the last three years, and he’s getting his opportunity to face him. If fails on Saturday might, this could be the last chance Benavidez gets at fighting Plant or landing a fight against Canelo Alvarez.
Unfortunately for Benavidez, it’s not going to be easy for him to put hands on Plant because he’s a mover, and will likely be running around the ring as fast as possible to keep from sustaining punishment.
Plant’s last fight against 38-year-old Anthony Dirrell was virtually unwatchable due to all the movement that he was going in the fight until he finally stopped in the ninth round to land a fight-ending left hook to the head of the aging Flint, Michigan native.
It’s likely that Plant will try to land a similarly sneaky shot on Saturday night against Benavidez, but his chances of scoring a knockout aren’t good because he’s got a rock-iron chin.
Moreover, Benavidez will be ready for Plant to try and pull a similar move on him, so he’ll be less likely to be caught unaware in the same way that the past his prime Dirrell was.
Benavidez sees fear in Plant
“I told him that he was a p***y and that I was going to knock him out,” said David Benavidez to Fighthype when asked what he told Caleb Plant during their face-off during Thursday’s final press conference.
“I’m happy that we were able to get this face-off. I think as you get older, you gain more power. Everyone is saying that Caleb Plant has gained more power. I was already a power puncher when I was 20 when I was coming up. I’m 26 now.
“Nobody is mentioning my power. I’ve gained more power in the training camp. I’m very excited. I worked very hard for this fight. This is a movement in time that I knew I was going to get to, and I’ve prepared extremely well for this time, and I’m just ready.
“His eyes we very glassy. I feel like he’s scared. I can go on and say all the things that I think I see in him, but it’s just time to fight. I’m pumped; I’m excited. I can’t wait to get in there,” said Benavidez.
Plant, 30, did look afraid of Benavidez today, as if he didn’t know if he would reach out and nail him with a shot the way Canelo did in their kickoff in 2021.
Canelo took exception to the vicious trash-talking that Plant had done during his time at the podium. So when the two came head-to-head for the face-off, Canelo shoved Plant hard enough to whip-lash his head and send him flying backward five feet.
Instead of Plant letting it go, he attempted to nail Canelo with a lead left hook slap, which he blocked and countered with a right hand to the head that sent Caleb’s sunglasses flying off his head. Plant was cut on the side of his left eye, which fortunately didn’t delay the fight from happening.
“I can’t wait to hear that first bell and time to go,” said Benavidez. “As I said, I’m very excited. This has been a dream come true, bro. Everybody that has had something to do with this fight, I’m very grateful for everything.
“Really bad,” said Benavidez when asked how badly he wanted to hit Caleb Plant. “I’m just very happy that you guys are seeing me smiling and stuff. It’s just time to do what I have to do,” Benavidez said.
Benavidez is going to have to use a little more finesse in this fight than what we saw from him in his recent fights against David Lemieux, Kyrone Davis, and Ronald Ellis because he was walking straight in against those guys and taking shots.
Plant has the kind of technical boxing skills and sneaky power to give Benavidez all kinds of trouble during the first nine rounds, which is when Caleb is at his best.
If Benavidez doesn’t get discouraged during this part of the fight, he has the chance of walking down and stopping the weary Plant in the championship rounds the way Canelo did. Benavidez has better speed and is a far superior combination puncher than Canelo.
What we don’t know is if Benavidez drained himself by overdoing it with his training for this fight because he’s been working like a demon, and he seems to have gone way overboard in his preparation.
Following game plan a must for Benavidez
“I’m the ‘Mexican Monster,’ 26-0 with 23 knockouts. On Saturday, I’m going to be 27-0 with 24 knockouts,” Benavidez continued. “I’ve never fought with emotion like that. I’ve always been the type of guy that let the knockout come.
“I do my job, and I feel you have to follow the game plan and let the knockout come on its own. That’s exactly what I’m doing in this fight. Why would I change it up in the biggest fight of my life?
“I’m just going to follow the game plan, and I’m very confident in everything I do. Cut the ring off, throwing combinations, jab, finding my way in for his line of fire. So I’m very excited.
“I just said that. I have to follow the game plan, and I’ve never fought with emotion. I’ve always let the knockout come to me, and I’m not going to change anything for this fight. I’m going to remember my training, and I have to be very sharp in this fight.
“You see my opponent’s face every time I fight them. How do they look? They feel the power. I’ve stopped everyone I’ve been in the ring with. They hurt.
“There were only been two people that I didn’t stop, and that was six years ago. Now I’m an even more of dangerous fighter. That’s my plan to break his f****g jaw, and that’s what I’m going to do,” said Benavidez.
