Mike Lee Showing Signs of Anger
Throughout the formal press obligations for Caleb “Sweet Hands” Plant (18-0, 10 KO’s) v Mike “White Bear” Lee (21-0, 11 KO’s), Plant has vowed to stop Lee. The dust-up will serve as Plants first defense of his WBA super middleweight title. The WBA champ has remained firm in his stance that Lee can’t handle the pressure that he will bring.
IS THAT FEAR IN THE AIR?
As far as trash talking goes, Plant has been very reserved and mild mannered. Rather than go on at length, or talk disrespectfully, he has simply repeated over and over again that, “he’ll wave the white flag, or I’ll wave it for him.”
Whether his tough talk has been over the top or not, clearly Mike Lee has grown tired of it! Over the course of their media obligations Lee has opted to largely take the high road when dealing with Plant. Lee models his professional demeanor after guys like Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto. For him, a fighter can be lighthearted before the fight and still have a fire in the ring.
Yet, as he hears his Nashville foe insistently talk about stopping him and the ‘easy’ road he’s traveled, the White Bear is ready to make him eat those words. In the end though, Lee believes that all the tough talk is a front. By his estimation, Caleb Plant is actually quite unsettled. Apparently, his boastful forecasts are just evidence of his lack of confidence.
“You can feel his body language and his fear. I can feel it and sense it. People talk when they’re insecure and really scared. His mouth is on 20, his confidence is not a 20.” ~Mike Lee
READY FOR WAR
Helping to invigorate his own confidence is how easily he plans on making weight for the upcoming July 20 scrap. Naturally, Lee competes at light heavyweight. However, he came down when he heard that he would be fighting for a world title. Coming down in weight has proven to be a hurtful thing for fighters in the past. Still, the White Bear said this transition was a breeze. Beyond being easier than he thought it would be, Lee feels it’s a move that should have been made a long time ago.
“No, in fact I think we should have gone to 168 earlier. I just never really had the proper nutritionists, the proper system in place. If anything, the weight cuts been easy. You guys can see in my face right now, I don’t look drained, I don’t look like a skeleton and you’ll see the same thing tomorrow.” ~Mike Lee
As far as the White Bear is concerned, this is his fight to lose. He feels that he is the bigger man, has the heavier hands and claims to smell fear dripping off of his opponent. Going a step further, Lee openly questioned Plant’s resume. For his money, he believes that Sweet Hands has been feasting on smaller fighters, but will have his hands full during this assignment. Lee is adamant that his own resolve, power and skill will be more than enough to win the day.
“I can’t wait to put my hands on him man. I know, I know once he feels my power he’s going to realize he’s in a different class. He’s been fighting all these middleweights and he knows it. Look at his record. All these guys are middleweights that they bring up to 168. Here, you got a true 175 pounder coming in. He’s going to get hit with the right-hand, left hook, the left-hand to the body, everything, and right away the seed of doubt will be planted. So, that’s what I look forward to on Saturday night.” ~Mike Lee
By: Bakari Simpson
