Caleb Plant makes it clear he is the best fighter at 168!
If there is one thing that is beyond any shadow of a doubt, it’s the fact that Caleb “Sweet Hands” Plant (19-0, 11 KO’s) is a confident fighter! The IBF super middleweight champion has never lacked for self-belied and prides himself on carrying himself like a champion.
This reality was on full display during a recent interview that the Nashville, Tennessee native conducted with FightHype.
A DREAM REALIZED
“I’m the best super middleweight walking God’s green Earth, that’s a fact. Who did Billy Joe Saunders beat to win his world title? What’s his name? Oh ok, yea.”
In January, Plant checked off one major career goal when he dethroned the IBF super middleweight titlist Jose “Bolivita” Uzcategui to initially become a world champion. The win was even more satisfying for Sweet Hands because he was coming directly off a year long layoff as well as a hand surgery. Despite these would-be hurdles, not only did Plant win the fight he made it look easy.
Six months later, seeking to remain active, Plant took on a voluntary title defense against Mike “White Bear” Lee. Once in the squared-circle, Sweet Hands casually skinned the White Bear. Plant stopped the notably overmatched Lee in the third round.
Now, the ambitious champion has his mind set for unification. Of the other champions, Billy Joe Saunders (WBO), Callum Smith (WBA) and Anthony Dirrell (WBC), Plant doesn’t seem to show any sort of preference.
A RIVAL ON THE HORIZON
Although, Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell (33-1-1, 24 KO’s) has a fight coming up with David “Red Flag” Benavidez (21-0, 18 KO’s) on September 28, 2019. While the IBF champion doesn’t have any gripe with Dirrell, there is a healthy animosity between himself and the former WBC champion David Benavidez.
The two have been wolfing back and forth with each other for some time. If the Red Flag was to emerge victorious, which Plant feels will happen, that would make for one fantastic showdown.
“I think it’ll be easy for him, fairly easy. Dirrell he’s pretty old, he’s been in some tough fights. I don’t think he’s got a whole lot left in the gas tank. I don’t know where his passion is for the sport, so I definitely think it’s not going the distance. I think it’ll be a fairly easy fight.”
Despite making history by becoming the youngest super middleweight champion in history, Plant is little impressed with the skill-set of Benavidez or his resume. Also, as has been the case with these two, Plant was not bashful in the least when airing his opinion on the matter.
“He’s never seen nobody like me! He may have a couple more fights than me but he don’t have the experience that I have. I’m a Golden Gloves national champion, I’m an Olympic alternate, I been in the WSB […] I got 117 amateur fights, who has he fought in the pro’s?
“He has like a handful of amateur fights. Who has he fought in the pro’s, J’Leon Love? Ronald Gavril? Porky Medina? That’s the only person we got similar. He’s not fought anyone like Jose Uzacategui. He hasn’t fought anyone like him.
“The closest one is Ronald Gavril and how did that fight go for him? It was close.”
In the event that Plant was not able to secure a bout with a fellow champion, he would then like to take on his mandatory at home. So for the moment, just like Plant, we are all going to have to sit and wait to see how the stars align for the next big bout at super middleweight.
“I’ll probably fight at the beginning of the year sometime and just bring y’all the best fights! The biggest names and if I can’t do that, I might just get into it with my mandatory and if everything works right, then hopefully I can bring it home to Tennessee. That’s what we’re working on.”
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By: Bakari Simpson
