Via Allan Fox: Caleb ‘Sweethands’ Plant said he’s looking to face the biggest name possible for the fight back in the fall. The former IBF Plant super-middleweight champion (21-1, 12 KOs) has been dealing with an injury that has kept him out of the ring since losing to Canelo Alvarez last November.
Plant, 29, did not specify how the injury had kept him out of action since last November’s 11-round knock-out loss to Canelo, but suffice it to say it was serious enough to put the Tennessee-born player up shelf for seven months, and it’s likely he’ll only fight once in 2022.
With the millions of dollars Plant made fighting Canelo, he could afford to sit still and continue licking his wounds until he fell. ‘Sweethands’ Plant says he wants to fight the biggest name possible, but when asked if his rumored fight with 37-year-old Anthony Dirrell is over, he said not yet.
Dirrell isn’t a big name at this point, so that kind of tells you what Plant means when he says he wants ‘the biggest fight possible.’
He may be talking about the most recognizable name among the old boxers who have played, and not a threat to beat him. Dirrell will be a risky fight for Plant as he can still punch, and he has better stamina.
If Plant takes a breather against ‘The Dog’ Dirrell, he will be knocked out just like in the fight against Canelo, but possibly sooner.
Trees to fight in the fall
“It looks like late summer or early fall or sometimes fall,” says Caleb Plant Good fight with Kate Abdo, about when he plans to fight next.
“I’ve let things heal, and that’s why I haven’t come back yet,” Plant said. “Now, we’re looking to get the best fight possible and the best placement possible, and the biggest name.
“Losing, I probably won’t be able to beat the biggest game there right away, but we’re looking to hit the biggest names and the biggest positions.
“I want to get back to my victories, and then show the world why I have to take a little more break. Until then, I want to keep it in the ending
“It’s still not a done deal, but like I said, we’re looking for the biggest name possible,” Plant said when asked if he still plans to fight Anthony Dirrell next.
“I feel very motivated after the game against Canelo, even though things didn’t go my way. We were disappointed about it, but I felt like I showed the world that I was right there at world class.
Caleb considers himself an all-time great
“I’m right there at that all-time great level, but I was cut off by a shot at the end of the game,” Plant said. “Now, we’re just looking to move on to what’s next. I don’t want to be just an easy name.
“I wanted someone that would push me, and that the fans could enjoy, and someone that would motivate me to get back to the biggest fight I could possibly be after.
“I understood that I had to work my way up. That just comes with territory, but that’s what I want to do. I was in the gym with trainer Wade, strength and conditioning.
“It was an opportunity to learn how to get better from it,” Plant said of learning from the loss to Canelo Alvarez. “Instead of crying, complaining and making excuses. We just have to get right into it and dissect everything, take it apart and see what we can improve on.
“I feel like I won [against Canelo] until I got cut. I feel like I won six to four. They could have had it 6-4, 5-5. It was a fight that almost went into round 11, especially against someone as experienced as Canelo. It’s not something you can buy or train.
“Getting that experience is something I keep in my tool belt and would be very helpful. There are things we could have done better, but we didn’t get far.
“Like I said in my own eyes, I went 6-4. I’ve had several other close people tell me it could be 6-4 his way. Either way, getting to round 12, it was an almost razor-sharp fight,” Plant said.
Plant was disappointed to see Canelo lose
“Just keep doing my craft and get better, and I’ll be back soon,” says Plant. “It’s not like I went out there and embarrassed myself and got beaten up and didn’t win a round.
“With the way the war ended like it was over and the success I had. It’s disappointing because I didn’t do a good job. I came to win. I have shown and proven to myself that I am not afraid of anyone.
“I am not afraid to go out with my shield. I only get cut at the end of the game, and anyone can get cut. Roy Jones was cut, Muhammad Ali was cut, and Roberto Duran was cut.
“It’s not like I had my throat cut by a parasite or someone without anyone knowing. That’s by someone who will probably go down as an all-time great piece.
“I know I’m right there at that level and my team knows I’m there at that level. I just got caught with a good shot, and I have to give it back.
“It hurts a little bit,” Plant said when asked what it was like to watch Canelo lose to Dmitry Bivol. “When I saw him go out there and do that, it was like, ‘I wish it could have been me.’
“It’s part of the sport. When you go in there with someone, most of the time someone has to come out with a short clubhead. I just used it as motivation to get back into the ring again.
Caleb Wants Benavidez & Charlo
“Becoming the biggest name possible will let the boxing world know that I’m not here to compete and take my time. I want to get right back to it. After I did that successfully, that was entering the biggest fight out there.
“Whether it is [Jermall] Charlo or David Benavidez, and clean up the rest of the department. As soon as I get this next win, I’ll go straight to them.
“These are the fights I want, and these are the fights boxing fans deserve. So I will promote these wars and make them happen.
“Surname [Team Benavidez] never contacted me, never grabbed me. Luis [DeCubas] told me it wasn’t true. No one contacted me. We have the same handler.
“I don’t avoid anyone, I don’t avoid anyone. If I am fighting Canelo, who has accomplished what he has accomplished, then I fear no one.
“Emotionally, maybe David [Benavidez]Plant said when asked who he wants to fight between Jermall Charlo and Benavidez. “All the things he had to say in the past about me.
“As for what I want to achieve in this sport, I’m trying to get both of those names out there. It doesn’t matter who was first and who was last doesn’t matter.
“My goal is to put myself down as a great person, remove divisions, and be remembered as a great person. I can’t do it by defeating one of them. I need to beat them both, and that’s what I’ll do.
“I don’t think any of them can beat me, so it doesn’t matter to me,” Plant said when asked which of those two boxers, Charlor or Benavidez, brought him more problems. best.
“In terms of skill, I don’t think any of them can beat me. They can’t ignore me, they’re not smarter than me, and they’re not harder than me in their training. Obviously they are not more disciplined than I am.
“I don’t appear on TV when I’m drunk, I don’t lose weight, I don’t test positive for cocaine, I don’t fight, I don’t lose my belt on the scale. If I lose a belt, it will be.
“I found myself here a long time ago [168]. It’s not hard for me to gain weight. I’ll be here long enough to clear the divide. For any top midsize competitor that raises prices, I’ll be right here,” Plant said.
