Caleb Plant wants big fights and big victories, not good reviews from outsiders.
Caleb Plant doesn’t care what people think of him as a fighter.
That includes the oddsmakers, who have made arch rival David Benavidez around a 3-1 favorite in their 168-pound pay-per-view fight March 25 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Plant’s focus, he said, is to continue to make and win big fights. The rest will take care of itself.
“If I was caught up in what people think of me, how they perceive me, whether they think I can or I can’t, being a white kid from Tennessee, I might not have made it very far,” he told Boxing Junkie.
“I’m focused on what [manager] Al [Haymon] thinks of it, what my team thinks of it, the type of position it will put me in to get other big fights. I can’t focus on or worry about what other people think.”
Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) is no stranger to big fights.
The matchup with Benavidez will be his third consecutive meeting with a current or former world titleholder. He was stopped by Canelo Alvarez in 11 rounds in November 2021, which cost him his IBF belt. And he delivered the 2022 Knockout of the Year in the ninth round against Anthony Dirrell last October.
Now comes another significant risk, which is exactly how Plant wants it.
“After the Canelo Alvarez fight I didn’t want some sparring-session fight,” he said. “I wanted the biggest fight I could get. It wasn’t the biggest fight out there but, coming off a loss, it was the biggest fight that could be made.
“… With Dirrell being ranked as high as he was by the WBC, it made it a title eliminator. I knew with David as the ‘interim’ champ, it put me in position to fight him. And, obviously, after winning this fight, it will put me in position to become Canelo’s mandatory.”
See the pattern? Only important fights against quality opposition.
Plant and Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) don’t have a lot of good things to say about each other but Plant respects him.
“He’s a good fighter,” Plant said. “I never said he was a bad fighter. I’m not interested in fighting bad fighters. I’m interested in fighting good fighters. There are a lot of things he does well. There are just more things I do well.”
Plant is perceived by some to be quicker, more athletic and more skillful than Benavidez. And he demonstrated that he can hurt anyone with the right shot against Dirrell, who Benavidez stopped with an accumulation of punches in 2019.
The 30-year-old native of Nashville also will bring a less-tangible commodity into the ring against Benavidez: experience on the biggest stage. Nothing is more intimidating than an Alvarez fight.
“It’s going to be hard to find an environment as hostile as it was against Canelo Alvarez,” he said. “I might’ve had 50 people in the building out of 18,000 rooting for me [at the MGM Grand]. This is a big moment, as well. It’s not one I take for granted. The great thing about the Canelo fight is the experience I get to take into these other big fights. And experience is important.
“It’s the small things that separate you at the highest level. … Experiences isn’t something you by. You have to go through the fire to get it. And I’ve done that.”
Caleb Plant wants big fights and big victories, not good reviews from outsiders.
Caleb Plant doesn’t care what people think of him as a fighter.
That includes the oddsmakers, who have made arch rival David Benavidez around a 3-1 favorite in their 168-pound pay-per-view fight March 25 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Plant’s focus, he said, is to continue to make and win big fights. The rest will take care of itself.
“If I was caught up in what people think of me, how they perceive me, whether they think I can or I can’t, being a white kid from Tennessee, I might not have made it very far,” he told Boxing Junkie.
“I’m focused on what [manager] Al [Haymon] thinks of it, what my team thinks of it, the type of position it will put me in to get other big fights. I can’t focus on or worry about what other people think.”
Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) is no stranger to big fights.
The matchup with Benavidez will be his third consecutive meeting with a current or former world titleholder. He was stopped by Canelo Alvarez in 11 rounds in November 2021, which cost him his IBF belt. And he delivered the 2022 Knockout of the Year in the ninth round against Anthony Dirrell last October.
Now comes another significant risk, which is exactly how Plant wants it.
“After the Canelo Alvarez fight I didn’t want some sparring-session fight,” he said. “I wanted the biggest fight I could get. It wasn’t the biggest fight out there but, coming off a loss, it was the biggest fight that could be made.
“… With Dirrell being ranked as high as he was by the WBC, it made it a title eliminator. I knew with David as the ‘interim’ champ, it put me in position to fight him. And, obviously, after winning this fight, it will put me in position to become Canelo’s mandatory.”
See the pattern? Only important fights against quality opposition.
Plant and Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) don’t have a lot of good things to say about each other but Plant respects him.
“He’s a good fighter,” Plant said. “I never said he was a bad fighter. I’m not interested in fighting bad fighters. I’m interested in fighting good fighters. There are a lot of things he does well. There are just more things I do well.”
Plant is perceived by some to be quicker, more athletic and more skillful than Benavidez. And he demonstrated that he can hurt anyone with the right shot against Dirrell, who Benavidez stopped with an accumulation of punches in 2019.
The 30-year-old native of Nashville also will bring a less-tangible commodity into the ring against Benavidez: experience on the biggest stage. Nothing is more intimidating than an Alvarez fight.
“It’s going to be hard to find an environment as hostile as it was against Canelo Alvarez,” he said. “I might’ve had 50 people in the building out of 18,000 rooting for me [at the MGM Grand]. This is a big moment, as well. It’s not one I take for granted. The great thing about the Canelo fight is the experience I get to take into these other big fights. And experience is important.
“It’s the small things that separate you at the highest level. … Experiences isn’t something you by. You have to go through the fire to get it. And I’ve done that.”
David Benavidez and Caleb Plant began the war of words at the kickoff news conference for their March 25 showdown.
David Benavidez and Caleb Plant are both certain they’ll kick the other’s behind when they meet in a 168-pound title eliminator on pay-per-view March 25 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. They just say it in different ways.
Benavidez sometimes speaks like he fights, with abandon. The former two-time beltholder isn’t shy when he describes what he plans to do to his rival.
“On March 25, I guarantee that I’m knocking Caleb Plant out before round six,” Benavidez said to Plant at a predictably spirited kickoff news conference Thursday in Los Angeles. “This has been a fight in the making for the last five years and it couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m at my best right now mentally and physically. On March 25, I finally get to put hands on Caleb Plant.
“When you’re on the ground bleeding, you’ll learn how to respect a real fighter. I’m what you want to be. You’re a chump.”
Plant was more restrained but said essentially the same thing.
“I’m coming,” he said. “We’re prepared. I’ve been at this level before and I know what it takes. From now until March 25 it’s just about who can train the hardest and keep their foot on the gas.
“… This is a legacy fight for me and my team. On March 25, I see myself getting my hand raised.”
Benavidez and Plant haven’t been polite to one another over the past several years, perhaps doing their part to market a compelling fight they assumed was inevitable. Or maybe they really don’t like each other.
Either way, this fight has been building for years. And while they both are confident, the fight wouldn’t happen if they didn’t have some level of respect for one another as fighters.
Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) acknowledged Plant’s most recent performance and implied that it adds luster to the upcoming showdown.
“He had a sensational win against Anthony Dirrell and I take nothing away from that,” he said. “This is the best time this fight could have happened. It was the right move for both of us. I’ve been wanting to fight him for a long time and now the winner of this fight gets to be the mandatory for Canelo Alvarez. I’m super motivated.”
Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) has no problem with his opponent’s brash talk, saying, “This rivalry only started because we agree to disagree on who’s better. And that’s fine, he should feel like that. That’s how great fighters are supposed to feel.”
And the last thing he wants to do is diminish Benavidez’s ability because he wants nothing to do with sub-par opposition. He wants to face a challenge in every fight, just as he will in this one.
“I never said David’s a bad fighter because I have no interest in fighting bad fighters,” he said. “I want to fight good fighters and make big fights. This is the best fight that could be made in the division.”
David Benavidez and Caleb Plant began the war of words at the kickoff news conference for their March 25 showdown.
David Benavidez and Caleb Plant are both certain they’ll kick the other’s behind when they meet in a 168-pound title eliminator on pay-per-view March 25 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. They just say it in different ways.
Benavidez sometimes speaks like he fights, with abandon. The former two-time beltholder isn’t shy when he describes what he plans to do to his rival.
“On March 25, I guarantee that I’m knocking Caleb Plant out before round six,” Benavidez said to Plant at a predictably spirited kickoff news conference Thursday in Los Angeles. “This has been a fight in the making for the last five years and it couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m at my best right now mentally and physically. On March 25, I finally get to put hands on Caleb Plant.
“When you’re on the ground bleeding, you’ll learn how to respect a real fighter. I’m what you want to be. You’re a chump.”
Plant was more restrained but said essentially the same thing.
“I’m coming,” he said. “We’re prepared. I’ve been at this level before and I know what it takes. From now until March 25 it’s just about who can train the hardest and keep their foot on the gas.
“… This is a legacy fight for me and my team. On March 25, I see myself getting my hand raised.”
Benavidez and Plant haven’t been polite to one another over the past several years, perhaps doing their part to market a compelling fight they assumed was inevitable. Or maybe they really don’t like each other.
Either way, this fight has been building for years. And while they both are confident, the fight wouldn’t happen if they didn’t have some level of respect for one another as fighters.
Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs) acknowledged Plant’s most recent performance and implied that it adds luster to the upcoming showdown.
“He had a sensational win against Anthony Dirrell and I take nothing away from that,” he said. “This is the best time this fight could have happened. It was the right move for both of us. I’ve been wanting to fight him for a long time and now the winner of this fight gets to be the mandatory for Canelo Alvarez. I’m super motivated.”
Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) has no problem with his opponent’s brash talk, saying, “This rivalry only started because we agree to disagree on who’s better. And that’s fine, he should feel like that. That’s how great fighters are supposed to feel.”
And the last thing he wants to do is diminish Benavidez’s ability because he wants nothing to do with sub-par opposition. He wants to face a challenge in every fight, just as he will in this one.
“I never said David’s a bad fighter because I have no interest in fighting bad fighters,” he said. “I want to fight good fighters and make big fights. This is the best fight that could be made in the division.”
Good, bad, worse: Deontay Wilder back with bang, Devin Haney dominates again.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
It took only one punch for Deontay Wilder to reassert himself as a heavyweight of consequence.
His comeback fight against Robert Helenius was less than three minutes old when a trimmed down Wilder did what Wilder does, connecting on a short right hand – the third and final punch he landed — that put his opponent to sleep Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Just like that, a rejuvenated Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) was back to destroying big, bad men with arguably the hardest punch in the history of the sport. As they say, the power is the last thing to go. And Wilder’s power obviously hasn’t gone anywhere.
That doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about his two devastating knockout losses at the hands of nemesis Tyson Fury in 2020 and last year, the first of which cost him his WBC title.
Wilder merely reminded us by eviscerating a solid opponent in Helenius (31-4, 20 KOs) that he remains a threat to anyone because of the power in his right hand and his ability to deliver it, including three-belt titleholder Oleksandr Usyk.
So what’s next? That’s difficult to say.
Usyk, who won his belts by upsetting Joshua and then beating him again in their rematch, has expressed interest in facing Wilder. However, I imagine his first priority remains a showdown with Fury for the undisputed championship.
Wilder, who wants to fight three more years, doesn’t seem to be fixated on anyone. He just wants big fights, presumably because he knows a shot at another world title will come sooner rather than later.
That could include Usyk if a fight with Fury can’t be made. My personal favorite would be a meeting with former unified champion Anthony Joshua, who also has paralyzing power. And Andy Ruiz Jr, Joe Joyce and Frank Sanchez are among other interesting possibilities.
The only thing we know with certainty is that Wilder has our attention once again. Whomever he faces next, a lot of people will be watching in anticipation of another spectacular knockout.
“Deontay Wilder is back,” he said immediately after his victory on Saturday. “The excitement in the heavyweight division is back. There’s no heavyweight division without Deontay Wilder. That’s a fact.”
BAD
There was nothing bad about undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney’s performance on Saturday in Australia, where he outclassed George Kambosos Jr. a second time en route to unanimous decision victory.
This item is being filed under “bad” because I’m not sure the rematch should’ve happened at all.
I understand the concept of a rematch clause, one of which was included in the contract Haney signed before outpointing Kambosos in June. Haney did the right thing by honoring his agreement.
However, there was no point from a boxing standpoint. The fight was a waste of time and energy, aside from any money it generated.
Haney won by scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112 in the first fight, which also took place down under. I scored it 119-109, 11 rounds to one. So I have no idea what the 116-112 judges were watching.
On Saturday (Sunday in Australia) Haney was even more dominating, winning 119-109, 118-110 and 118-110. Boxing Junkie also scored the second fight 119-109.
Kambosos never gave up. He simply doesn’t have the tools to compete against a thoroughbred like Haney, who, at 23, has to be considered among the Top 20 fighters pound for pound in the world.
That was obvious in the first fight, which, again, made the second one unnecessary.
Now it’s on to genuine challenges for Haney. The most-intriguing potential opponents are Gervonta Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko, two supremely talented, experienced all-around boxers who would make for super fights with Haney.
Only if fights like those materialize will we truly know how good Haney is. Victories over Kambosos – as impressive as they were – only told us so much.
WORSE
Robert Helenius didn’t know what hit him. Timothy A. Clary / AFP via Getty Images
Helenius’s fate is an example of how cruel boxing can be.
The 38-year-old Finn had been on a roll going into his unfortunate meeting with Wilder, having brutally knocked out once-promising heavyweight Adam Kownacki in back-to-back fights to regain his status as a legitimate title contender.
And he was in a good place both physically and mentally. He was 100% healthy for the first time in years, he had a great training camp, he was genuinely confident … and then he was unconscious.
The sight of him lying on the canvas, staring blankly at the rafters at Barclays Center, would’ve been difficult to see under any circumstances. The fact he had his hopes of becoming his country’s first heavyweight champion dashed in such a violent fashion made it even worse.
This is boxing. One minute you’re in a groove, then next you’re forced to make difficult decisions.
Helenius isn’t ancient by heavyweight standards. And it wasn’t as if he took a prolonged beating against Wilder, who landed only three punches, according to CompuBox. He could continue to fight if that’s what he wants.
At the same time, it took him years grueling, painful work in the gym and ring to climb back into title contention. Does he want to go through that process again as he approaches his 40s?
I’m guessing that the answer to that question is no. We’ve probably seen the last of Robert Helenius in the ring.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Claressa Shields continues to do her part in lifting women’s boxing to new heights. She and Savannah Marshall (12-1, 10 KOs) delivered a terrific brawl on the all-female card Saturday at O2 Arena in London. Shields (13-0, 2 KOs) deserved the unanimous decision victory to become undisputed 160-pound champion – she landed the cleaner punches – but the fight was compelling and competitive throughout, which is a credit to both women. Marshall should be proud of her performance. Is Shields the GWOAT? I still apply that label to Hall of Famer Lucia Rijker, who you had to see to understand how good she was. Shields is definitely one of the two or three best today and no woman is more important than she is in terms of what she does for women’s boxing. … Who knew? Caleb Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) has earned the reputation of being an excellent boxer and athlete, which led him to the top of the 168-pound division. He showed us something new against Anthony Dirrell (34-3-2, 25 KOs) on the Wilder-Helenius card, a one-punch knockout of an elite opponent. He was winning a rough fight through eight-plus rounds when he connected on a left hook (almost an uppercut) that instantaneously knocked out Dirrell in Round 9. That was a much needed statement following his own knockout loss to Canelo Alvarez in May. Plant is now in position to get a big fight against the likes of David Benavidez and Jermall Charlo. … I understand that he and Dirrell generated genuine bad blood between them but I didn’t like his behavior after the stoppage, repeatedly acting out the process of digging a grave. Dirrell was still struggling to get up at that point. I’ll chalk Plant’s actions up to adrenaline … and hope he doesn’t behave that way again. … Alycia Baumgardner (13-1, 7 KOs) defeated Mikaela Mayer (17-1, 5 KOs) by a split decision in a 10-round bout to unify three 130-pound titles in a break-through victory for her on the Shields-Marshall card. The scores were 96-95, 96-95 and 93-97. I scored it 95-95, a draw. Baumgardner seemed to say afterward that she wasn’t interested in a second fight with the now-former titleholder. Mayer probably earned one.
Good, bad, worse: Deontay Wilder back with bang, Devin Haney dominates again.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
It took only one punch for Deontay Wilder to reassert himself as a heavyweight of consequence.
His comeback fight against Robert Helenius was less than three minutes old when a trimmed down Wilder did what Wilder does, connecting on a short right hand – the third and final punch he landed — that put his opponent to sleep Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Just like that, a rejuvenated Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) was back to destroying big, bad men with arguably the hardest punch in the history of the sport. As they say, the power is the last thing to go. And Wilder’s power obviously hasn’t gone anywhere.
That doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about his two devastating knockout losses at the hands of nemesis Tyson Fury in 2020 and last year, the first of which cost him his WBC title.
Wilder merely reminded us by eviscerating a solid opponent in Helenius (31-4, 20 KOs) that he remains a threat to anyone because of the power in his right hand and his ability to deliver it, including three-belt titleholder Oleksandr Usyk.
So what’s next? That’s difficult to say.
Usyk, who won his belts by upsetting Joshua and then beating him again in their rematch, has expressed interest in facing Wilder. However, I imagine his first priority remains a showdown with Fury for the undisputed championship.
Wilder, who wants to fight three more years, doesn’t seem to be fixated on anyone. He just wants big fights, presumably because he knows a shot at another world title will come sooner rather than later.
That could include Usyk if a fight with Fury can’t be made. My personal favorite would be a meeting with former unified champion Anthony Joshua, who also has paralyzing power. And Andy Ruiz Jr, Joe Joyce and Frank Sanchez are among other interesting possibilities.
The only thing we know with certainty is that Wilder has our attention once again. Whomever he faces next, a lot of people will be watching in anticipation of another spectacular knockout.
“Deontay Wilder is back,” he said immediately after his victory on Saturday. “The excitement in the heavyweight division is back. There’s no heavyweight division without Deontay Wilder. That’s a fact.”
BAD
There was nothing bad about undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney’s performance on Saturday in Australia, where he outclassed George Kambosos Jr. a second time en route to unanimous decision victory.
This item is being filed under “bad” because I’m not sure the rematch should’ve happened at all.
I understand the concept of a rematch clause, one of which was included in the contract Haney signed before outpointing Kambosos in June. Haney did the right thing by honoring his agreement.
However, there was no point from a boxing standpoint. The fight was a waste of time and energy, aside from any money it generated.
Haney won by scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112 in the first fight, which also took place down under. I scored it 119-109, 11 rounds to one. So I have no idea what the 116-112 judges were watching.
On Saturday (Sunday in Australia) Haney was even more dominating, winning 119-109, 118-110 and 118-110. Boxing Junkie also scored the second fight 119-109.
Kambosos never gave up. He simply doesn’t have the tools to compete against a thoroughbred like Haney, who, at 23, has to be considered among the Top 20 fighters pound for pound in the world.
That was obvious in the first fight, which, again, made the second one unnecessary.
Now it’s on to genuine challenges for Haney. The most-intriguing potential opponents are Gervonta Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko, two supremely talented, experienced all-around boxers who would make for super fights with Haney.
Only if fights like those materialize will we truly know how good Haney is. Victories over Kambosos – as impressive as they were – only told us so much.
WORSE
Robert Helenius didn’t know what hit him. Timothy A. Clary / AFP via Getty Images
Helenius’s fate is an example of how cruel boxing can be.
The 38-year-old Finn had been on a roll going into his unfortunate meeting with Wilder, having brutally knocked out once-promising heavyweight Adam Kownacki in back-to-back fights to regain his status as a legitimate title contender.
And he was in a good place both physically and mentally. He was 100% healthy for the first time in years, he had a great training camp, he was genuinely confident … and then he was unconscious.
The sight of him lying on the canvas, staring blankly at the rafters at Barclays Center, would’ve been difficult to see under any circumstances. The fact he had his hopes of becoming his country’s first heavyweight champion dashed in such a violent fashion made it even worse.
This is boxing. One minute you’re in a groove, then next you’re forced to make difficult decisions.
Helenius isn’t ancient by heavyweight standards. And it wasn’t as if he took a prolonged beating against Wilder, who landed only three punches, according to CompuBox. He could continue to fight if that’s what he wants.
At the same time, it took him years grueling, painful work in the gym and ring to climb back into title contention. Does he want to go through that process again as he approaches his 40s?
I’m guessing that the answer to that question is no. We’ve probably seen the last of Robert Helenius in the ring.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Claressa Shields continues to do her part in lifting women’s boxing to new heights. She and Savannah Marshall (12-1, 10 KOs) delivered a terrific brawl on the all-female card Saturday at O2 Arena in London. Shields (13-0, 2 KOs) deserved the unanimous decision victory to become undisputed 160-pound champion – she landed the cleaner punches – but the fight was compelling and competitive throughout, which is a credit to both women. Marshall should be proud of her performance. Is Shields the GWOAT? I still apply that label to Hall of Famer Lucia Rijker, who you had to see to understand how good she was. Shields is definitely one of the two or three best today and no woman is more important than she is in terms of what she does for women’s boxing. … Who knew? Caleb Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) has earned the reputation of being an excellent boxer and athlete, which led him to the top of the 168-pound division. He showed us something new against Anthony Dirrell (34-3-2, 25 KOs) on the Wilder-Helenius card, a one-punch knockout of an elite opponent. He was winning a rough fight through eight-plus rounds when he connected on a left hook (almost an uppercut) that instantaneously knocked out Dirrell in Round 9. That was a much needed statement following his own knockout loss to Canelo Alvarez in May. Plant is now in position to get a big fight against the likes of David Benavidez and Jermall Charlo. … I understand that he and Dirrell generated genuine bad blood between them but I didn’t like his behavior after the stoppage, repeatedly acting out the process of digging a grave. Dirrell was still struggling to get up at that point. I’ll chalk Plant’s actions up to adrenaline … and hope he doesn’t behave that way again. … Alycia Baumgardner (13-1, 7 KOs) defeated Mikaela Mayer (17-1, 5 KOs) by a split decision in a 10-round bout to unify three 130-pound titles in a break-through victory for her on the Shields-Marshall card. The scores were 96-95, 96-95 and 93-97. I scored it 95-95, a draw. Baumgardner seemed to say afterward that she wasn’t interested in a second fight with the now-former titleholder. Mayer probably earned one.
Caleb Plant ended Anthony Dirrell’s night with a perfect left hook in Round 9 of their 168-pound fight Saturday in Brooklyn, New York.
Caleb Plant made a loud statement in his comeback fight.
The former 168-pound titleholder, coming off a knockout loss to Canelo Alvarez in May, knocked out veteran Anthony Dirrell with a single left hook in the final seconds of Round 9 on the Deontay Wilder-Robert Helenius card Saturday in Brooklyn, New York.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:57 of the round.
The fight had been competitive and relatively uneventful until the stoppage, although Plant seemed to be outworking his 38-year-old opponent for eight-plus rounds.
Then, as time was winding down in Round 9, Plant landed a left to the body, followed by a left to the head that put Dirrell onto his side and out.
Dirrell had trouble getting up from the canvas, an indication of how injured he was. He ultimately regained his senses and was able to walk out of the ring unassisted, although he had nothing to say.
“This win felt good,” Plant said. “You’ve heard about how much he hates me … but my head and my heart is what won me this fight. I was in control the whole time. My coach told me to stay patient and ease in and that’s what we did. Then, boom!
Plant was ranked by all four sanctioning bodies going into the fight, No. 1 by the WBC. On Saturday, he proved against a normally resilient opponent that he is worthy of another title challenge.
“I’m ready for whatever,” he said. “I’m going to spend some time with my family, but then I’m ready for the biggest fights that we can make.”
Caleb Plant ended Anthony Dirrell’s night with a perfect left hook in Round 9 of their 168-pound fight Saturday in Brooklyn, New York.
Caleb Plant made a loud statement in his comeback fight.
The former 168-pound titleholder, coming off a knockout loss to Canelo Alvarez in May, knocked out veteran Anthony Dirrell with a single left hook in the final seconds of Round 9 on the Deontay Wilder-Robert Helenius card Saturday in Brooklyn, New York.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:57 of the round.
The fight had been competitive and relatively uneventful until the stoppage, although Plant seemed to be outworking his 38-year-old opponent for eight-plus rounds.
Then, as time was winding down in Round 9, Plant landed a left to the body, followed by a left to the head that put Dirrell onto his side and out.
Dirrell had trouble getting up from the canvas, an indication of how injured he was. He ultimately regained his senses and was able to walk out of the ring unassisted, although he had nothing to say.
“This win felt good,” Plant said. “You’ve heard about how much he hates me … but my head and my heart is what won me this fight. I was in control the whole time. My coach told me to stay patient and ease in and that’s what we did. Then, boom!
Plant was ranked by all four sanctioning bodies going into the fight, No. 1 by the WBC. On Saturday, he proved against a normally resilient opponent that he is worthy of another title challenge.
“I’m ready for whatever,” he said. “I’m going to spend some time with my family, but then I’m ready for the biggest fights that we can make.”
Deontay Wilder vs. Robert Helenius: LIVE updates and results, full coverage.
Deontay Wilder needed less than a round to get back into the win column.
Wilder stopped Robert Helenius with a single right hand in the final seconds of the round, a punch that knocked the Finn out cold. He lay on the canvas for several minutes before getting up.
Wilder caught Helenius coming in to throw his own right hand. He just beat Helenius to the punch.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:57 of Round 1.
Wilder was coming off back-to-back knockout losses to Tyson Fury, the first of which cost him his WBC heavyweight title.
***
Caleb Plant stopped Anthony Dirrell in the ninth round in his first fight since he was knocked out by Canelo Alvarz in May.
***
Heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez stopped Carlos Negron at 1:36 of the ninth round of their scheduled 10-round bout.
Sanchez (21-0, 14 KOs) put Negron (25-4, 20 KOs) down with a big right in Round 9. The Puerto Rican was able to get up but endured a barrage of follow-up shots, which prompted the referee to stop the fight.
***
Emmanuel Rodriguez defeated fellow bantamweight contender Gary Antonio Russell by a one-sided technical decision in a scheduled 12-round bout that was stopped after nine rounds.
Doctors determined that Rodriguez couldn’t continue after he was hurt by an accidental head butt in Round 9.
Rodriguez (21-2, 13 KOs) dominated Russell (19-1, 12 KOs) in the fight, winning by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 99-93 in what was billed as a title eliminator.
***
Former heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder faces Robert Helenius tonight (Saturday) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York (pay-per-view).
Wilder is coming off back-to-back knockout losses to Tyson Fury, the first of which cost him his WBC belt. Helenius stopped Adam Kownacki in his last two fights.
In another featured bout, former 168-pound titleholder Caleb Plant, coming off a knockout loss to Canelo Alvarez in May, returns against veteran Anthony Dirrell.
The main portion of the card starts at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Boxing Junkie will post results immediately afterward. Simply return to this post when the time comes.
Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.
Deontay Wilder vs. Robert Helenius: LIVE updates and results, full coverage.
Deontay Wilder needed less than a round to get back into the win column.
Wilder stopped Robert Helenius with a single right hand in the final seconds of the round, a punch that knocked the Finn out cold. He lay on the canvas for several minutes before getting up.
Wilder caught Helenius coming in to throw his own right hand. He just beat Helenius to the punch.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:57 of Round 1.
Wilder was coming off back-to-back knockout losses to Tyson Fury, the first of which cost him his WBC heavyweight title.
***
Caleb Plant stopped Anthony Dirrell in the ninth round in his first fight since he was knocked out by Canelo Alvarz in May.
***
Heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez stopped Carlos Negron at 1:36 of the ninth round of their scheduled 10-round bout.
Sanchez (21-0, 14 KOs) put Negron (25-4, 20 KOs) down with a big right in Round 9. The Puerto Rican was able to get up but endured a barrage of follow-up shots, which prompted the referee to stop the fight.
***
Emmanuel Rodriguez defeated fellow bantamweight contender Gary Antonio Russell by a one-sided technical decision in a scheduled 12-round bout that was stopped after nine rounds.
Doctors determined that Rodriguez couldn’t continue after he was hurt by an accidental head butt in Round 9.
Rodriguez (21-2, 13 KOs) dominated Russell (19-1, 12 KOs) in the fight, winning by scores of 100-90, 99-91 and 99-93 in what was billed as a title eliminator.
***
Former heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder faces Robert Helenius tonight (Saturday) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York (pay-per-view).
Wilder is coming off back-to-back knockout losses to Tyson Fury, the first of which cost him his WBC belt. Helenius stopped Adam Kownacki in his last two fights.
In another featured bout, former 168-pound titleholder Caleb Plant, coming off a knockout loss to Canelo Alvarez in May, returns against veteran Anthony Dirrell.
The main portion of the card starts at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Boxing Junkie will post results immediately afterward. Simply return to this post when the time comes.
Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.
