Caleb Plant said on social media that “I’ll be champion of the world again.”
Caleb Plant insists that we haven’t seen the last of him.
The now-former super middleweight titleholder, who lost his belt to undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez on Saturday in Las Vegas, said on social media, “I’ll be back.”
“I’ve bent most of the world to my will and done it with nothing but passion and skill,” he tweeted. “I’ll be back. I showed I belong on the top level and I’ll be champion of the world again. I’ve never been scared to go big or go out on my shield. Thank you to all the fans and all my supporters.”
I’ve bent most the world to my will and done it with nothing but passion and skill. I’ll be back 💪🏻 I showed I belong on the top level and I’ll be champion of the world again. I’ve never been scared to go big or go out on my shield. Thank you to all the fans and all my supporters pic.twitter.com/bga3PaCnkI
Plant (21-1, 12 KOs) acquitted self well but was stopped in the 11th round by Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs), who became the first 168-pound to hold all four major belts in the four-belt era.
Caleb Plant said on social media that “I’ll be champion of the world again.”
Caleb Plant insists that we haven’t seen the last of him.
The now-former super middleweight titleholder, who lost his belt to undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez on Saturday in Las Vegas, said on social media, “I’ll be back.”
“I’ve bent most of the world to my will and done it with nothing but passion and skill,” he tweeted. “I’ll be back. I showed I belong on the top level and I’ll be champion of the world again. I’ve never been scared to go big or go out on my shield. Thank you to all the fans and all my supporters.”
I’ve bent most the world to my will and done it with nothing but passion and skill. I’ll be back 💪🏻 I showed I belong on the top level and I’ll be champion of the world again. I’ve never been scared to go big or go out on my shield. Thank you to all the fans and all my supporters pic.twitter.com/bga3PaCnkI
Plant (21-1, 12 KOs) acquitted self well but was stopped in the 11th round by Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs), who became the first 168-pound to hold all four major belts in the four-belt era.
Watch it: Canelo Alvarez serenaded his wife after his knockout victory over Caleb Plant in Las Vegas.
Turns out Canelo Alvarez is more talented than we realized.
The undisputed super middleweight champion, who earned that distinction by stopping Caleb Plant on Saturday in Las Vegas, was caught on camera serenading wife Fernanda at a nightclub.
He sang the Joan Sebastian song “Eso Y Mas,” among others evidently. TMZ reported that the impromptu performance lasted for 20 minutes.
Watch it: Canelo Alvarez serenaded his wife after his knockout victory over Caleb Plant in Las Vegas.
Turns out Canelo Alvarez is more talented than we realized.
The undisputed super middleweight champion, who earned that distinction by stopping Caleb Plant on Saturday in Las Vegas, was caught on camera serenading wife Fernanda at a nightclub.
He sang the Joan Sebastian song “Eso Y Mas,” among others evidently. TMZ reported that the impromptu performance lasted for 20 minutes.
Video: Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant had a friendly chat during the action Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Ever wonder what fighters say to each other while they’re engaging in combat?
Check out this clip of a friendly ninth-round chat between Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant, who would go on to get knocked out in the 11th round Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Video: Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant had a friendly chat during the action Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Ever wonder what fighters say to each other while they’re engaging in combat?
Check out this clip of a friendly ninth-round chat between Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant, who would go on to get knocked out in the 11th round Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD We can use different criteria to illustrate the magnitude of Canelo Alvarez’s accomplishments. The Mexican star has won major titles in four divisions, which is a standard barometer of greatness. It’s …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
We can use different criteria to illustrate the magnitude of Canelo Alvarez’s accomplishments.
The Mexican star has won major titles in four divisions, which is a standard barometer of greatness. It’s not my favorite, though. Alphabet titles mean little when there are almost 100 of them. And it seems everyone is a multiple-division beltholder these days.
Alvarez became the first undisputed super middleweight champion and sixth male undisputed champ in any division in the four-belt era by stopping Caleb Plant in the 11th round Saturday in Las Vegas.
That’s a heady accomplishment given how rare it is. And in our dreams there would be only one champion in each division, as there once was. This is as close as we’re going to get to that.
“Undisputed” has its limitations, too, though. It’s based on the whims of the sanctioning bodies, who generally rank fighters in manner that benefits them the most in terms of the bottom line. Merit isn’t always the primary factor.
The best approach to appreciate the accomplishments of Alvarez is to simply consider his opponents and the fact he has beaten them consistently.
He has taken down one highly rated foe after another over the past decade, rarely opting for stay-busy or transitional fight against pushovers. That’s what Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquaio did on the road to greatness.
Shane Mosley, Austin Trout, Erislandy Lara, Miguel Cotto, Gennadiy Golovkin, Daniel Jacobs and Sergey Kovalev might be the best of Alvarez’s victims but the list is a lot longer than that. He has by far the best resume in boxing today.
Alvarez failed to have his hand raised only four times, a draw against long-forgotten Jorge Juarez in his fifth fight, a one-sided decision against all-time great Mayweather and a disputed draw in his first fight against Golovkin, a future Hall of Famer.
Becoming the undisputed super middleweight champion is an achievement that should be celebrated but Alvarez has been doing special things for a long time.
***
BAD
It’s important to keep Alvarez’s victory on Saturday in perspective. AP Photo / Steve Marcus
There’s nothing “bad” about Alvarez’s victory over Plant but we should keep it in perspective.
Alvarez didn’t just defeat Roy Jones Jr. or Bernard Hopkins. He beat Plant, a good, athletic boxer who had little experience on an elite level and can’t punch, which made his mission almost impossible.
And there’s certainly nothing bad about Alvarez’s pursuit of history. He isn’t satisfied with mundane accomplishments. And there’s nothing mundane about becoming the first undisputed super middleweight champion.
However, we should keep that in perspective, too. We must take into account the fighters he beat to achieve that lofty goal: Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders and Plant, all three of whom are good, but limited fighters.
Again, I understand why Alvarez choose to fight them; He wanted to make do something that would stand out. None were much of a threat to him, though. And don’t we want the best fighters to face genuine threats as much as possible?
I would rather Alvarez have faced Gennadiy Golovkin a third time, David Benavidez and Jermall Charlo instead. He wouldn’t have become “undisputed” but he would’ve faced more-significant challenges, which is more important to me.
We must appreciate Alvarez’s general approach to selecting opponents. He has faced one ranked foe after another over the past decade. At the same time, his emphasis on collecting titles – which mean less than ever – has its drawbacks.
The good news is that he could still fight Benavidez and Charlo. Golovkin? Not likely.
***
WORSE
Caleb Plant endured a difficult night but he’ll be back. AP Photo / Steve Marcus
Plant has nothing to be ashamed of. He gave a solid performance against one of the best in the business.
The athletic Tennessean frustrated Alvarez in the first half of the fight with his elite level boxing ability, particularly his elusiveness. The winner was still trying to chase him down in the middle rounds.
Alas, Alvarez’s relentless pressure – including damaging body work — gradually broke down Plant and set up the dramatic knockout in the 11th round, a devastating fate for a proud fighter who had such big expectations.
And it wasn’t close on the cards through 10 rounds. Alvarez led 98-92 (eight rounds to two), 97-93 and 96-94. Boxing Junkie had it 98-92 for Alvarez.
A key problem for Plant was his lack of punching power. If you can’t keep Alvarez honest with hard shots (a la Gennadiy Golovkin), you have to be a boxing wizard (a la Floyd Mayweather) to beat him.
Plant is a good boxer but he’s not that good, which is why he was about an 8-1 underdog (average of multiple outlets) going into the fight.
This undoubtedly is a difficult time for Plant, who had never tasted defeat as a professional and genuinely believed he’d have his hand raised. However, the setback isn’t the end of the world for him.
Again, he lost to a truly great fighter. No shame in that. He arguably performed better than super middleweight counterparts Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders, which confirmed that he belonged in the ring with Alvarez.
And he isn’t the type to give up. He has overcome some personal tragedies, which tells you something about his mental toughness. He’ll bounce back from Saturday’s setback, too.
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
Rey Vargas (35-0, 22 KOs) had been away for more than two years before he fought Leonardo Baez (21-5, 12 KOs) on the Alvarez-Plant card. I had forgotten how good he is. The former 122-pound titleholder used his unusual length and ability to pick apart his fellow Mexican and win a near-shutout decision in his first fight as a full-fledged 126-pounder. Vargas is ranked No. 1 by the WBC, whose champion is Gary Russel Jr. I’d pick Russel to win that fight but Vargas would be a live underdog. He’s really good. … Anthony Dirrell (34-3-2, 26 KOs) delivered the punch of the night at the MGM Grand, a monstrous right uppercut that instantaneously destroyed Marcos Hernandez (15-5-2, 3 KOs) in the third round of their super middleweight fight. I don’t know whether the 37-year-old former two-time titleholder will get a shot at one more major belt but he made a strong case that he’s a viable option. … Junior welterweight contender Elvis Rodriguez (12-1-1, 11 KOs) bounced back from his upset loss to Kenneth Sims Jr. in May, stopping capable Juan Pablo Romero (14-1, 9 KOs) in five rounds on the Alvarez-Plant card.
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD We can use different criteria to illustrate the magnitude of Canelo Alvarez’s accomplishments. The Mexican star has won major titles in four divisions, which is a standard barometer of greatness. It’s …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
We can use different criteria to illustrate the magnitude of Canelo Alvarez’s accomplishments.
The Mexican star has won major titles in four divisions, which is a standard barometer of greatness. It’s not my favorite, though. Alphabet titles mean little when there are almost 100 of them. And it seems everyone is a multiple-division beltholder these days.
Alvarez became the first undisputed super middleweight champion and sixth male undisputed champ in any division in the four-belt era by stopping Caleb Plant in the 11th round Saturday in Las Vegas.
That’s a heady accomplishment given how rare it is. And in our dreams there would be only one champion in each division, as there once was. This is as close as we’re going to get to that.
“Undisputed” has its limitations, too, though. It’s based on the whims of the sanctioning bodies, who generally rank fighters in manner that benefits them the most in terms of the bottom line. Merit isn’t always the primary factor.
The best approach to appreciate the accomplishments of Alvarez is to simply consider his opponents and the fact he has beaten them consistently.
He has taken down one highly rated foe after another over the past decade, rarely opting for stay-busy or transitional fight against pushovers. That’s what Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquaio did on the road to greatness.
Shane Mosley, Austin Trout, Erislandy Lara, Miguel Cotto, Gennadiy Golovkin, Daniel Jacobs and Sergey Kovalev might be the best of Alvarez’s victims but the list is a lot longer than that. He has by far the best resume in boxing today.
Alvarez failed to have his hand raised only four times, a draw against long-forgotten Jorge Juarez in his fifth fight, a one-sided decision against all-time great Mayweather and a disputed draw in his first fight against Golovkin, a future Hall of Famer.
Becoming the undisputed super middleweight champion is an achievement that should be celebrated but Alvarez has been doing special things for a long time.
***
BAD
It’s important to keep Alvarez’s victory on Saturday in perspective. AP Photo / Steve Marcus
There’s nothing “bad” about Alvarez’s victory over Plant but we should keep it in perspective.
Alvarez didn’t just defeat Roy Jones Jr. or Bernard Hopkins. He beat Plant, a good, athletic boxer who had little experience on an elite level and can’t punch, which made his mission almost impossible.
And there’s certainly nothing bad about Alvarez’s pursuit of history. He isn’t satisfied with mundane accomplishments. And there’s nothing mundane about becoming the first undisputed super middleweight champion.
However, we should keep that in perspective, too. We must take into account the fighters he beat to achieve that lofty goal: Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders and Plant, all three of whom are good, but limited fighters.
Again, I understand why Alvarez choose to fight them; He wanted to make do something that would stand out. None were much of a threat to him, though. And don’t we want the best fighters to face genuine threats as much as possible?
I would rather Alvarez have faced Gennadiy Golovkin a third time, David Benavidez and Jermall Charlo instead. He wouldn’t have become “undisputed” but he would’ve faced more-significant challenges, which is more important to me.
We must appreciate Alvarez’s general approach to selecting opponents. He has faced one ranked foe after another over the past decade. At the same time, his emphasis on collecting titles – which mean less than ever – has its drawbacks.
The good news is that he could still fight Benavidez and Charlo. Golovkin? Not likely.
***
WORSE
Caleb Plant endured a difficult night but he’ll be back. AP Photo / Steve Marcus
Plant has nothing to be ashamed of. He gave a solid performance against one of the best in the business.
The athletic Tennessean frustrated Alvarez in the first half of the fight with his elite level boxing ability, particularly his elusiveness. The winner was still trying to chase him down in the middle rounds.
Alas, Alvarez’s relentless pressure – including damaging body work — gradually broke down Plant and set up the dramatic knockout in the 11th round, a devastating fate for a proud fighter who had such big expectations.
And it wasn’t close on the cards through 10 rounds. Alvarez led 98-92 (eight rounds to two), 97-93 and 96-94. Boxing Junkie had it 98-92 for Alvarez.
A key problem for Plant was his lack of punching power. If you can’t keep Alvarez honest with hard shots (a la Gennadiy Golovkin), you have to be a boxing wizard (a la Floyd Mayweather) to beat him.
Plant is a good boxer but he’s not that good, which is why he was about an 8-1 underdog (average of multiple outlets) going into the fight.
This undoubtedly is a difficult time for Plant, who had never tasted defeat as a professional and genuinely believed he’d have his hand raised. However, the setback isn’t the end of the world for him.
Again, he lost to a truly great fighter. No shame in that. He arguably performed better than super middleweight counterparts Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders, which confirmed that he belonged in the ring with Alvarez.
And he isn’t the type to give up. He has overcome some personal tragedies, which tells you something about his mental toughness. He’ll bounce back from Saturday’s setback, too.
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
Rey Vargas (35-0, 22 KOs) had been away for more than two years before he fought Leonardo Baez (21-5, 12 KOs) on the Alvarez-Plant card. I had forgotten how good he is. The former 122-pound titleholder used his unusual length and ability to pick apart his fellow Mexican and win a near-shutout decision in his first fight as a full-fledged 126-pounder. Vargas is ranked No. 1 by the WBC, whose champion is Gary Russel Jr. I’d pick Russel to win that fight but Vargas would be a live underdog. He’s really good. … Anthony Dirrell (34-3-2, 26 KOs) delivered the punch of the night at the MGM Grand, a monstrous right uppercut that instantaneously destroyed Marcos Hernandez (15-5-2, 3 KOs) in the third round of their super middleweight fight. I don’t know whether the 37-year-old former two-time titleholder will get a shot at one more major belt but he made a strong case that he’s a viable option. … Junior welterweight contender Elvis Rodriguez (12-1-1, 11 KOs) bounced back from his upset loss to Kenneth Sims Jr. in May, stopping capable Juan Pablo Romero (14-1, 9 KOs) in five rounds on the Alvarez-Plant card.
Next up for Canelo Alvarez: David Benavidez or Jermall Charlo?
Canelo Alvarez was asked what might follow his history-making 11th-round knockout of Caleb Plant on Saturday and he deflected the question, saying only, “I love challenges. Whatever comes my way, I’ll be ready for it.”
Well, there are potential challenges in front of him and he has already expressed interest in tackling a few of them.
The first undisputed super middleweight champion has said more than once that he likes the idea of fighting two-time 168-pound champion David Benavidez (24-0, 21 KOs) or current middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs).
Both men could pose a bigger threat than Plant, who boxed well but was gradually worn down and stopped in the 11th round.
Benavidez is a good, quick handed boxer who might have the punching power to slow Alvarez’s charge and perhaps hurt the Mexican superstar. Plant couldn’t do that. And Charlo, while smaller than Alvarez, is an excellent all-around fighter.
Anthony Dirrell, another two-time 168-pound beltholder, is another viable candidate but probably a longshot even after his one-punch, fourth-round knockout of Marco Hernandez on Saturday.
The guess here is that Alvarez will face Benavidez next May. That’s the biggest challenge at super middleweight and would be fully embraced by fans, who understand how dangerous the strapping Phoenix fighter is.
Then there are the light heavyweights.
Alvarez’s trainer, Eddy Reynoso, has said it’s unfair to expect his protégé to fight naturally bigger men at 175 pounds but that argument doesn’t wash. He already stopped Sergey Kovalev to win a light heavyweight title in 2019.
The thought of Alvarez facing either Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol, both of whom are 175-pound titleholders, is exciting. They both have the ability and physical strength to test Alvarez like no one lighter than them could, Benavidez being the most obvious possible exception.
Beterbiev, who holds the IBF and WBC titles, is a two-time Olympian from Russia who has stopped all 16 of his opponents. The man is imposing. And WBA beltholder Bivol, another former amateur star from Russia, might be a more complete fighter than Beterbiev.
Alvarez would have his hands full with both of them. Hey, he said he loves challenges.
One more possibility is WBO light heavyweight champ Joe Smith Jr., who doesn’t have the boxing skills to keep pace with Alvarez but might punch harder than any of the fighters mentioned above. He would definitely have a puncher’s chance against Alvarez.
Who knows? Maybe Alvarez will target all the 175-pounders in an attempt to become undisputed light heavyweight champion. No one who has followed his remarkable career would put anything past him.
Next up for Canelo Alvarez: David Benavidez or Jermall Charlo?
Canelo Alvarez was asked what might follow his history-making 11th-round knockout of Caleb Plant on Saturday and he deflected the question, saying only, “I love challenges. Whatever comes my way, I’ll be ready for it.”
Well, there are potential challenges in front of him and he has already expressed interest in tackling a few of them.
The first undisputed super middleweight champion has said more than once that he likes the idea of fighting two-time 168-pound champion David Benavidez (24-0, 21 KOs) or current middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs).
Both men could pose a bigger threat than Plant, who boxed well but was gradually worn down and stopped in the 11th round.
Benavidez is a good, quick handed boxer who might have the punching power to slow Alvarez’s charge and perhaps hurt the Mexican superstar. Plant couldn’t do that. And Charlo, while smaller than Alvarez, is an excellent all-around fighter.
Anthony Dirrell, another two-time 168-pound beltholder, is another viable candidate but probably a longshot even after his one-punch, fourth-round knockout of Marco Hernandez on Saturday.
The guess here is that Alvarez will face Benavidez next May. That’s the biggest challenge at super middleweight and would be fully embraced by fans, who understand how dangerous the strapping Phoenix fighter is.
Then there are the light heavyweights.
Alvarez’s trainer, Eddy Reynoso, has said it’s unfair to expect his protégé to fight naturally bigger men at 175 pounds but that argument doesn’t wash. He already stopped Sergey Kovalev to win a light heavyweight title in 2019.
The thought of Alvarez facing either Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol, both of whom are 175-pound titleholders, is exciting. They both have the ability and physical strength to test Alvarez like no one lighter than them could, Benavidez being the most obvious possible exception.
Beterbiev, who holds the IBF and WBC titles, is a two-time Olympian from Russia who has stopped all 16 of his opponents. The man is imposing. And WBA beltholder Bivol, another former amateur star from Russia, might be a more complete fighter than Beterbiev.
Alvarez would have his hands full with both of them. Hey, he said he loves challenges.
One more possibility is WBO light heavyweight champ Joe Smith Jr., who doesn’t have the boxing skills to keep pace with Alvarez but might punch harder than any of the fighters mentioned above. He would definitely have a puncher’s chance against Alvarez.
Who knows? Maybe Alvarez will target all the 175-pounders in an attempt to become undisputed light heavyweight champion. No one who has followed his remarkable career would put anything past him.
