Plant: "I wouldn't be surprised if it's very easy to beat Canelo"

Andrew Karlov Aug. 23, 2021, 5:03 p.m.
Caleb Plant

"I mean, I'll be ready for anything, the most important thing is to get my hand up," Plant stated. "But don't be surprised if it turns out to be easier than you think."

Plant's boxing ability, in-ring IQ and physicality have earned him a 21-0 record, including 12 knockouts, to become a champion in the 168 pounds. However, Plant will take a huge step up in opposition level when he faces Mexico's Alvarez.

Alvarez, 31, is considered by many experts the best P4P boxer in the world. Alvarez (56-1-2, 38 KOs) has held championship belts in four weight classes and has officially lost only once - by majority decision to Floyd Mayweather nearly eight years ago.

The 29-year-old Plant had previously defeated opponents of relatively low level. He defeated Venezuelan Jose Uzcategui (31-4, 26 KOs) in a fight for the IBF belt in January 2019. He convincingly defeated Mike Lee ( 21-1, 11 KOs), mandatory challenger Vincent Feigenbutz ( 33-3, 29 KOs) and former IBF champion Caleb Truax ( 31-5-2, 19 KOs) in three title defenses.

Alvarez has previously defeated two undefeated 168 champions - Callum Smith (27-1, 19 KOs) and Billy Joe Saunders (30-1, 14 KOs) - in two of his last three fights. Canelo holds the WBA, WBC and WBO titles and intends to become the first ever undisputed super middleweight champion in an era with four championship belts.

"I like my chances in any fight," stated Plant. "If I didn't believe I could win, you wouldn't be holding those cameras in front of my face right now. And, you know, you guys have made a lot of fight predictions before and been wrong. But you know how many times I've been wrong? Never."

"Ever since I started boxing, ever since my first tournament I went to, I've been told what I can't be, and what I can be. That I didn't belong in the sport, that I would never be a world champion. And it seems like the more people tell me I can't do something, the more I believe in myself. After every comment like that, or every time someone says I can't do it, I feel like I'm just even more right. Right now I'm just getting ready to fight," Plant said.

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