By Elliot Raines: Caleb Plant and Jermall Charlo are in discussions for a fight in 2026 at super middleweight.
Two Years After the Slap
It’s a fight that has been brewing for two years since former IBF 168-lb champion ‘Sweethands’ Plant (23-3, 14 KOs) slapped Charlo across the face at the Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford weigh-in on July 28, 2023. Surprisingly, it’s taken Caleb and Jermall this long to start talks.
Brunch Boxing broke the news today about the Plant vs. Charlo discussions for the first half of 2026.
Fans Scoff at $80 PPV Price
Users on social media predict that PBC will price the Plant-Charlo fight at $80 on PPV, which would be insanely high for a fight that has passed its sell-by date. It is now viewed as an old-timers’ type of fight. Jermall is 35 and has fought only twice since 2021.
Charlo’s Career Drift Since 2021
Charlo has been out of serious contention for too long to fight on PPV against a fighter like Plant, who is coming off a 12-round split decision loss to Jose Armando Resendiz on May 31, 2025. That was Plant’s third defeat in his last five fights, dating back to 2021. With a 2-3 record, it’s silly for Caleb to be fighting on PPV against Jermall.
Both Men Fighting for Relevance
Plant’s only two wins since 2021 have come against 38-year-old Anthony Dirrell and little-known fringe contender Trevor McCumby.
The fight between the two former world champions comes at the right time for them, as neither has done anything significant for years. They’re seen as washed up by many boxing fans, who don’t see either of them as being relevant at 168.
Jermall (34-0, 23 KOs) used to be one of the top fighters at 160, but let his career slide away after defeating Juan Macias Montiel by a tougher-than-expected 12-round unanimous decision on June 19, 2021.
Interestingly, the WBC allowed Charlo to sit on his WBC title, not defending it for over 1,000 days before finally stripping him of the belt on May 8, 2024.
Too Late or Just in Time?
Older boxing fans will still be interested in watching Charlo and Plant fight. They’ll still be motivated to pay to watch these two fading champions, but not the younger ones. It’s too late in the game. The lack of wins on Plant’s part and Charlo’s inactivity make this fight one that fans will likely skip.
Plant, 33, should be aiming higher on the tree for top fighters, like one of these:
- Lester Martinez
- Christian Mbilli
- Olsleys Iglesias
- Hamzah Sheeraz
- Diego Pacheco
At least if Plant got lucky and beat one of them, he’d be in a position to fight undisputed super middleweight champion Terence Crawford or Canelo Alvarez. Of course, if these fighters defeated Plant, he’d be right back where he started and could forget about fighting Crawford or Canelo.
Elliot Raines has covered British and European boxing since 2010. Known for his sharp pen and low tolerance for hype, Raines dissects the sport’s politics, promoters, and paper champions with dry precision.