Boxing
Caleb Plant Believes Canelo Rematch Will ‘Spark’ After McCumby Fight
Published
5 months agoon
Caleb Plant believes his appearance at the pre-fight event for Canelo Alvarez on September 14 could “spark” talk of a rematch.
Possibility of a rematch with Canelo
Former IBF super middleweight champion Plant (22-2, 13 KOs) lost to Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) via knockout in the eleventh round on November 6, 2021 in the main event.
Plant has gone 1-1 since then and will be hoping to pick up his second win in three years when he faces undefeated Trevor McCumby (28-0, 21 KOs) for the interim WBA 168-pound world title on the card preceding Canelo’s fight with Edgar Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Plant hasn’t been in the ring since March of last year, but says he’s been training and will be ready to face McCumby next month. Given the 32-year-old Plant’s inactivity, his recent loss to David Benavidez last year and his knockout at the hands of Canelo, it’s tough to predict the outcome.
Plant’s advantage in this fight is that McCumby has not faced a top fighter in his 14-year career, and at 31, he takes a substantial step forward.
Plant focuses on McCumby
“Now I’m just focused on the fight in front of me. Trevor [McCumby] He’s 28-0 with 21 knockouts. This is his moment; this is his chance. So I’ve got to put all my effort and energy into it,” former IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant told media asked if he hopes for a rematch with Canelo Alvarez if he wins over Trevor McCumby on September 14.
You can understand why Plant would want to put all of his energy into the McCumby fight, since he’s been on hiatus, lost to Benavidez and his only wins in the last three years have come over 38-year-old Anthony Dirrell and 37-year-old Caleb Truax.
“With that in mind, especially after we moved to the Canelo card, it could spark some talk of a rematch, and as you all know,” Plant said of his interest in a rematch with Canelo. “I’m not just here to get paid. I’m not just here to come in and quit and back out. I’m coming in to fight.”
History of the plant
Even if Plant does well against McCumby, boxing fans will still criticize him if he is given a rematch with Canelo. It would look bad if Plant entered the rematch with a record of 2-2 in his last four fights and wins over weaker opponents.
Fans would prefer Canelo to give a chance to another fighter, such as Christian McBilli, Diego Pacheco, David Benavidez or David Morrell.
“This is what I love to do and it would be nice to have the opportunity to do so” [to fight Canelo again]. That’s not my goal right now. I have to focus on what’s in front of me,” Plant said.
Caleb needs to focus on the task at hand against McCumby, because despite his impoverished record and recent victories over frail opponents, he may not win.
A loss to McCumby would put an end to Plant’s dreams of a rematch with Canelo, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Plant likely has a ton of money in the bank from the 2021 fight with Canelo, and should have more than enough money to retire without having to worry about having to work a 9-to-5 job like most people.
“It would be an honor to be in the main event of the first Prime Video event that wasn’t pay-per-view, of course, but it doesn’t matter where they put me. They could put me in the parking lot and we could box. It doesn’t matter to me,” Plant said of moving his fight with McCumby from non-PPV to Prime Video to the Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga undercard on PPV on September 14.
Going from a main event fight to being placed on a side card is usually not a good thing for a fighter, but in Plant’s case it’s better because he’s fighting on Canelo’s undercard and a lot of people will be watching his fight.
Plant’s time away from the ring
“I’ve been gone for a while, but I assure you I’m using my time wisely. On September 14th, you’re going to see the best Caleb Plant I’ve ever seen,” Plant said.
Caleb isn’t saying what he’s been doing in the 1.5 years since his last fight so he can “operate his time wisely,” but I’m betting he’s not smarter because he’s been inactive. We won’t see Plant looking any better after his time away from the ring, which means he could lose to McCumby on September 14th.
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Boxing
Ryan Rozicki is waiting for Badou Jack’s consent to mandatory cooperation with the WBC
Published
2 days agoon
January 13, 2025The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered world cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KO) to make a mandatory title defense against Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1), number 1 in the WBC ranking – 1, 19 KOs).
If both camps fail to successfully negotiate an agreement, the WBC will organize a tender on February 4, followed by the Jack vs. Rozicki. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, immediately sent Team Jacek an offer to promote the fight in Canada last week.
“We are waiting for their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most electrifying and hardest-hitting fighters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the WBC green belt and ultimately the unification of the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”
29-year-old Rozicki, born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and living in Hamilton (Ontario), fought 22 professional fights against 21 different opponents (twice against Yamil Alberto Peralta), stopping 19 of the 20 opponents he defeated. an eye-opening 95-KO percentage.
Jack, 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He is a three-division world champion, as well as the WBC super middleweight and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight heavyweight title holder. Jack has a record of 5-0-2 (2 KO) in world championship fights.
“We respect Jack and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 years vintage and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect to the ring, but he will fight a newborn defender with a lot of power. Jack is going to struggle and honestly, I don’t think he’ll make it past the first few rounds.”
Ryan Rozicki is on a mission to become the first Canadian cruiserweight world champion.
The next move is Badou Jack’s.
Boxing
Floyd Mayweather’s record is not normal, it can’t happen in 70 years
Published
3 days agoon
January 12, 2025Floyd Mayweather’s incredible 50-0 record is not normal and cannot be repeated in sports for another seventy years.
This is the view of Saudi Arabian president Turki Alalshikh, who wants to adopt the UFC model in which fighters lose many fights during their career.
In a speech as he hosted the Ring Magazine Awards after acquiring the long-running boxing publication from Oscar De La Hoya, Alalshikh was unequivocal in his opinion.
“Now losing some fights in boxing must be normal,” he explained. “All fighters want a career similar to Floyd Mayweather – no losses. This may happen once every 50, 60 or 70 years.
“We need it [to be] like currently in the UFC model, where champions lose and win,” added the matchmaker during the Riyad season.
Mayweather rose through the sport in the tardy 1990s to become one of its youngest superstars. Mayweather’s professional success came after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics after losing to Serafim Todorov.
Winning world titles in five weight classes, Mayweather was untouchable. The Grand Rapids native only came close to defeat a few times. He dominated Manny Pacquiao and overtook Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya after heated debates, with decisions that should have been made unanimously.
Towards the end of his career, Mayweather chose to face Andre Berto and Conor McGregor, easily winning and ending his boxing career at the age of 50 without ever going out. Calling himself “the greatest of all time,” Mayweather earned first-ballot Hall of Fame honors and is widely considered one of, if not the greatest defensive fighter of all time.
However, Alalshikh says this type of career needs to end so that fans can get the most out of boxing, as is the case with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Boxing needs to become more attractive, and Alalshikh sees the failures of top stars as a way to keep interest at an all-time high.
In this sport, many boxers enjoy undefeated streaks, the most notable of which is Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian Pound for Pound King is 23-0 and has beaten the best he has to offer in his division and cruiserweight classification.
It remains a mystery how Alalshikh plans to make Usyk suffer while he dominates everyone else. By the time his grand plan goes into action, Usyk will be long gone, and Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney may be more realistic targets.
Boxing
Manny Pacquiao remains the favorite to win the title against Mario Barrios
Published
1 week agoon
January 6, 2025WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.
Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”
WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.
Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.
As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.
However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.
Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.
Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.
Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.
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