Caleb Plant 167.2 vs. Trevor McCumby 167.2

Caleb Plant and Trevor McCumby weighed in at 167.2 pounds on Friday at the weigh-in for their preliminary bout for the WBA interim super middleweight title this Saturday night.

(Photo credit: Ryan Hafey & Rey Del Rio/Premier Boxing Champions)

The two argued throughout the clash, with former IBF middleweight champion (168 pounds) Plant (22-2, 13 KOs) continuing to harp on McCumby (28-0, 21 KOs) over a positive test many years ago.

Plant is currently desperately trying to gain an advantage because he needs this win, which he believes will give him a chance for a rematch against Canelo Alvarez.

He says the World Boxing Association may elevate him to the WBA's “regular” middleweight (168 pounds) world champion, as current titleholder David Morrell has moved up to 175 pounds (69 kg).

A second fight with Canelo would help Plant pad his bank account with another nice payday. Plant reportedly earned $10 million for his fight against Canelo in November 2021.

Therefore, it is understandable why he absolutely must have the WBA interim middleweight title, as this could be his ticket to another payday against Canelo.

Plant's 18 months of inactivity and his loss to David Benavidez last year make it difficult to predict how he will fare against McCumby. Even when Plant was still active, his best wins were against 38-year-old Anthony Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui. Those aren't great wins.

Face-off dialogue:

Caleb Plant: “I'm not a fraud. You are.”

Trevor McCumby: “You’re from SNAC.”

Plant seems to believe that remembering McCumby's previous positive test will mentally protect him going into Saturday's fight, but that may not be the case. McCumby knows what Plant's game is about, and he understands that he desperately wants to win.

Plant has lost the two times he has faced high-profile opponents and is coming off a long 18-month layoff, so he is not in a strong position for his fight against McCumby.

Given all the money Plant has made, he may not be so hungry anymore. You don't sit out of the ring for 18 months if you're not doing well financially.

Most hungry fighters return to work immediately, hoping to be back in action within three to four months. But when a fighter has made millions, he can afford to enjoy the fruits of his labor, buy huge mansions, travel the world, and buy expensive cars and jewelry.

One has to wonder if Plant is returning from his long year-and-a-half layoff for the wrong reasons. Is it just the prospect of a second payday against Canelo that has lured Plant out of his hibernation?

“We'll see if he's really in a good mood,” Trevor McCumby said on Sean Zittel's YouTube channel. “I would say so. Maneuver him over there. I don't think he fights well off the ropes. Maybe he'll think differently,” McCumby said of Plant's poor fighting when held back on the ropes.

Canelo knocked out Plant in 2021 when he had him on the ropes and Benavidez also worked him over. Even Jose Uzcategui and Anthony Dirrell had their problems with Plant when they had him on the ropes. He is a fighter who needs mobility to be successful because once he is locked in he is vulnerable.

“I've seen what he does against the ropes,” McCumby said. “That's going to be one of my game plans. To get him against the ropes and really beat him up. I'm a boxer-puncher. A lot of people know that. When I have a better opponent, I fight better.”

If McCumby can keep Plant on the ropes, he has a chance to pick up where Benavidez left off last year by beating up the Las Vegas resident.

“I could possibly get a raise [to WBA super middleweight champion]and Canelo is the WBA champion, so you can work that out,” Plant told PPV’s YouTube channel, continuing his dismal campaign to be chosen for a rematch by Canelo Alvarez despite losing two of his last three fights since 2021.

The fact that the WBA named Plant champion does not guarantee him a rematch against Canelo. David Morrell held the WBA belt and it did him a lot of good to be chosen by Canelo for a life-changing payday like Plant got. Canelo will only fight Plant again if he feels it is his best opportunity to make easy money, as that seems to be what he is interested in for his fights in the 168 division.

“I would choose Canelo. He has the most belts,” Plant said when asked who would like to see a rematch between Canelo and David Benavidez. “He has the IBF belt that I lost. I would like to get that belt back along with the others he holds.”

Of course, Plant will choose Canelo as the opponent he wants to face in a rematch against Benavidez. Come on, Canelo is a superstar while Benavidez is a frontrunner who now fights at 175 and looks terrible.

“I've been honing my skills over the last year. I'm the most complete fighter I've ever been. I'm relaxed now no matter where the fight goes and that's really helped me improve my game,” Plant said.