Denis Douglin previews Caleb Plant vs. David Benavidez

By Boxing News - 02/09/2023 - Comments

By Dan Ambrose: Denis Douglin says he feels that David Benavidez will be making a mistake by fighting angry against Caleb ‘Sweethands’ Plant because he’ll be tensing up and he’ll make mistakes in their fight next month on March 25th on Showtime PPV at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Douglin has sparring both fighters, and he sees the former IBF super middleweight champion Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) as being very intelligent and will have an excellent game plan put together by his trainer Stephen ‘Breadman’ Edwards.

With that said, Douglin says Plant will need to stay on the move for the entire 12 round fight because he won’t be able to stand still in front of Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs). After all, the pressure will get to him.

Douglin feels that Plant has improved since his loss to Canelo Alvarez in 2021 and is a better fighter now.

Plant gassed out in the later rounds in the most important fights of his career against Canelo and Jose Uzcategui. There’s a possibility that we could see the same thing happen against Benavidez.

In Plant’s last fight against 38-year-old Anthony Dirrell last October, the contest was knotted up when he knocked him out in the ninth round.

If an older fighter like Dirrell could fight Plant on even terms for eight rounds, there’s a good chance Benavidez will be too much for him.

Benavidez shouldn’t fight angry

“The last time I sparring Caleb, Caleb dropped me with a right hand. That s**t was hard as hell, but I just got out of jail, I wasn’t training that much, so I wasn’t myself,” said Denis Douglin to Fighthype.

“Me and David had over 100 rounds of sparring and we trained together for two camps. That boy is s beast.  He keeps coming, he’s a dog. I just don’t like his energy right now. He really don’t  f**k with you. He’s mad.

“I feel like that energy is going to affect his style. He’s a killer. He’s a dog, naturally. I never seen him fight mad, so I don’t know if that’s going to affect him.

“Caleb is kind of in his head. I see him posting little taunts. That could affect his performance. You’re at your best when you’re relaxed. That tension, it slows you down. This is the biggest fight of David’s life. This is not the biggest fight of Caleb’s life.

“Caleb is disciplined.  All that nerves at the highest level, he’s done that. He got better. Caleb is lot better since Canelo. David hasn’t lived that moment yet. Granted, he’s had big fights, but not like this.

“Caleb has got to use his legs a lot more. He can’t stand in front of him. He can’t stand in front of David. He can’t look to exchange. He’s got to box. He’s got to turn him and change angles so that David can’t get set,” Douglin said.

Caleb can’t let David sit down on shots

“If you let David sit down [on his shots], I don’t think anyone is going to be able to take that kind of pressure,” Douglin continued. “David don’t punch that hard. It’s that pressure and speed.

“Caleb has got to be in great shape, which he will be, and constant legs. For David,  I feel like their game plan is to box more. I don’t really think they should because I feel like you’re going to outbox. You just got to do you.

“Benavidez Sr is super smart, so I feel they’re going to game plan. We’re not getting any 50-50 fights. This is the first one this year. Caleb is a very, very smart fighter, and he has a smart corner with Breadman.

“I think as the fight goes on, Caleb is going to get better. I’m not saying Benavidez isn’t because Benavidez is a smart fighter as well. He’s just not known for his brain. He’s known for being a bully and beating you up.

“Caleb is known as the technician, the smarter fighter. I don’t think we’re going to get a knockout. It’s going to go to a decision. But I think it’s going to be a clear winner. I got David. I do think it’s a great fight,” said Douglin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDdquSvneBM