Caleb Plant and Trevor McCumby weighed in at 167.2 lbs on Friday at the weigh-in for their undercard fight for the interim WBA super middleweight title this Saturday night.
(Credit: Ryan Hafey & Rey Del Rio/Premier Boxing Champions)
The two sparred during the face-off, with former IBF 168-lb champion Plant (22-2, 13 KOs) continuing his theme of pinning McCumby (28-0, 21 KOs) over a test positive from many years ago.
Plant is desperate now to get some advantage because he needs this win, which he believes will give him a chance for a rematch with Canelo Alvarez.
He says there is a chance the World Boxing Association will elevate him to the WBA “regular” 168lb champion due to current belt holder David Morrell moving up to 175.
A second fight with Canelo would help Plant pad his bank account with another good payday. Plant earned $10 million for his fight against Canelo in November 2021.
So, it’s understandable why he needs to get his hands on the interim WBA 168-lb title because it could be his golden ticket to another payday against Canelo.
Plant’s 18-month layoff and blowout against David Benavidez last year makes it hard to predict how he’ll fare against McCumby. Even when Plant was an active fighter, his best wins were against 38-year-old Anthony Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui. These are not great victories.
Face-Off Dialogue:
Caleb Plant: “I’m not a cheater. I am.”
Trevor McCumby: “You’re with SNAC.”
Plant seems to think that reminding McCumby of his past positive test will set him up mentally for Saturday’s fight, but that may not be the case. McCumby knows what Plant’s game is all about, and understands that he is desperate for a win.
With Plant having lost both times he met against high-caliber opposition and coming off a lengthy 18-month layoff, he is not in a strong position for his fight against McCumby.
Given all the money Plant made, hunger might not be with him. You’re not out of the ring for 18 months if you’re not doing well financially.
Most hungry fighters go back to work right away, looking to return to action in three to four months. But when a fighter has made millions, they can afford to enjoy the fruits of their labor, buy huge mansions, travel the world, and buy expensive cars and jewelry.
You have to wonder if Plant is back for the wrong reasons after his long year and a half layoff. Is it just the green of a second payday against Canelo that has lured Plant out of hibernation?
“We’re going to see if he’s really strong,” Trevor McCumby told Sean Zittel. YouTube channel “I say that. Maneuver him there. I don’t think he wrestles well off the ropes. I might think differently,” McCumby said of Plant wresting poorly when he was on the ropes.
Canelo beat Plant when he trapped him against the ropes in 2021, and Benavidez also worked him over. Even Jose Uzcategui and Anthony Dirrell had their way with Plant when they were against the ropes. He is a fighter who needs mobility to do well because once trapped, he is vulnerable.
“I’ve seen what he does against the ropes,” McCumby said. “That’s going to be one of the game plans. Put him against the ropes and really peel him. I’m a puncher. A lot of people know that. When I have a better opponent, I fight better.”
If McCumby can trap Plant against the ropes, he has a chance to pick up where Benavidez left off last year as he beat the living daylights out of the Las Vegas resident.
“He could be elevated (to the WBA super middleweight champion), and Canelo is the WBA champion. So, you can do the math on that,” Plant said at the PPV YouTube channel, continuing his dismal campaign to be picked by Canelo Alvarez for a rematch despite losing two of his last three fights since 2021.
The WBA elevating Plant to champion does not guarantee he will get a rematch with Canelo. David Morrell held the WBA belt, and he did very well to be picked by Canelo for a lifetime payday like the one Plant got. Canelo will only fight Plant again if he feels it’s his best option for easy money because that’s what he’s interested in for his fights at 168.
“I want to go with Canelo. He has the most belts,” Plant said when asked who he wants more in a rematch between Canelo and David Benavidez. “He has the IBF belt that I lost. I would like to get that belt back along with the others he holds.”
Of course, Plant has to choose Canelo for whom he wants to fight in a rematch over Benavidez. Come on, Canelo is a superstar, while Benavidez is an undercard fighter now fighting at 175 and looking terrible.
“I added edges last year. This is the most complete fighter I’ve ever been. To the point where I’m relaxed where the fight is going, and that’s really helped elevate my game,” Plant said.
