By: Sean Crose
IBF super middleweight titlist Caleb Plant took on the popular veteran Caleb Truax in defense of his championship belt in the main event of Saturday’s PBC card, which was broadcast live by Fox from LA’s Shrine Exhibition Center. The PBC made a big deal out of the 20–0 Plant in the leadup to the fight, even going so far as to run an advertisement featuring the fighter during an NFL divisional championship game. The 31-4-2 Truax, on the other hand, was looking to disrupt the apple cart in Saturday’s scheduled 12 round main event.
Plant came out jabbing at the bell. He then proceeded to work the body and to throw combinations. The defending champion proved to be the faster and more accurate of the two in the second. Truax was game, but as the third round came and went, the former champion really had nothing to offer the taller, sharper Plant. Able to maintain the range to his advantage, Plant controlled the fourth. The fight was turning into a beating.
Plant kept control in the fifth, jabbing well and effectively getting out of the way of Truax’ punches. Plant’s underrated footwork and defense were evident in the sixth, as he kept Truax from mounting anything meaningful. By the seventh, in a sign of just how one sided the bout was, the broadcast team of Brian Kenny and Shawn Porter were discussing the fact that Plant hadn’t knocked his man out yet.
Plant proceeded to fight at a measured pace in the eighth. Truax continued to eat leather in the ninth. Crisp and straight, Plant’s shot were simply dominant. Truax, however, was starting to make his way in towards Plant towards the round’s end. Truax tried to move forward again in the tenth, but Plant continued to hammer away. By the end of the eleventh, with Truax on the ropes, it looked like Plant might be trying to wrap things up early. Truax was able to get to the bell, though. Still, Plant was still able to look sharp in twelfth.
Needless to say, the fighter known as “Sweet Hands” held onto his title via unanimous decision win. Truax wasn’t given a single round by the judges.