By: Hans Themistode
No matter how unlikely his dreams and ambitions appeared to be, Caleb Plant believed it was preordained for him to become the first undisputed super middleweight champion of all time. With Plant already in possession of the IBF 168 pound crown, all that was left for Plant to do was defeat arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world in Canelo Alvarez…no easy task.
Although many believed Plant was in over his head, he battled Alvarez on mostly even ground during their November 2021 showdown. But, despite his efforts, Plant eventually crumbled underneath Alvarez’s relentless pressure, suffering the first defeat of his career via 11th round stoppage.
With the sting of defeat still hanging over his head, Plant is ready to dust himself off and make his way back up the super middleweight ladder. Presently, as Plant works tirelessly on his craft, he’s also sifting through multiple names that have been presented to him for his ring return. While he hasn’t made his decision as of yet, the Nashville Tennessee native isn’t looking for a soft touch.
“There’s a couple names on the table that we’re trying to work on and get figured out,” said Plant on Thaboxingvoice. “I’m looking to get the biggest name, the biggest fight on my way back, then take it up from there.”
Amongst a long list of names Plant is currently mulling over, is former two-time super middleweight champion, Anthony Dirrell. For the better part of the past 12 months, Dirrell has made his feelings well known that he simply can’t stand Plant, even going as far as to say that he “hates” the former IBF trinket holder.
At the age of 37, Dirrell has struggled in the ring as of late. In September of 2019, Dirrell was violently stopped in the ninth round against David Benavidez, resulting in his WBC title getting stripped from him. In 2020, Plant failed to compete at all. For his return in 2021 against Kyrone Davis, Dirrell fought lethargically, resulting in a split decision draw.
Regardless of the lackluster results, Dirrell did bounce back at the tail end of 2021. The Flint, Michigan, native scored a highlight-reel worthy knockout over journeymen Marcos Hernandez.
Throughout most of Dirrell’s career, the 37-year-old has swapped fists with some of the best fighters that the division has to offer. Still, despite his well-established resume, in Plant’s opinion, a showdown between them wouldn’t be competitive.
“He can’t f*ck with me, on any level. He can’t f*ck with me period.”
