TOMORROW NIGHT, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Canelo will fight Edgar Berlanga for the remaining three 168-pound belts. Ahead of the main event, there’s a diverse mix of fighters ready to prove they’re still got it.
In fact, that seems to be the underlying theme of the spin-off: am I still capable of staying at the top? Let’s see who PBC has tasked to support the program.
Erislandy Lara vs Danny Garcia
This fight was supposed to take place last year but was eventually scrapped and rescheduled. Despite her age and reduced mobility, Lara’s skill set, timing and punching power remain intact.
Garcia has been less active as he continues to gain weight. He could still drop to 154 for another run if he loses to Lara. Regardless of the outcome, Garcia could bring his charisma and star power to the stagnant 160-pound division tomorrow night.
Danny is very strong and durable, doesn’t throw many punches, but has great timing and can throw hard punches. However, has his power increased with him at such a high weight class?
Besides, how much more does Garcia want to give to boxing? He’s been in the sport for a long time and has many business interests outside the ring.
Meanwhile, Lara, now 41, has traded blows with some big guys throughout his career. There’s no shame in losing to the likes of Jarrett Hurd and Canelo, two massive physical units who are also competitive to the point of controversy. Unable to match that, the smaller Garcia will need something up his sleeve to avoid a crushing defeat.
Caleb Plant vs. Trevor McCumby
This match is all about levels. McCumby has been playing this character all week, trying to get under Plant’s skin. We already know how good Plant is. What level is McCumby at? This could be a huge step up in class. Just looking at his track record (which looks decent on the surface) shows that he’s never been anywhere near this level before.
Plant has the ring IQ, the speed, and the punching ability. McCumby is tough and direct. Can he replicate Benavidez’s approach for 12 rounds? If not, then he could be custom-built for Plant’s skill set.
That said, Plant hasn’t been the most active of late. If fatherhood and business interests have consumed him to such an extent, the pressure and physicality of McCombie could be getting to him at the end of the day. Assuming McCumby is still around at the time.
McCumby will see Caleb as a man who has reached his peak and is now rolling down. Plant will use his opponent’s aggression against him, luring him into taking shots.
A recurring theme in Plant’s career has been his training. We’ve seen him fade in the second round against Uzcategui, Canelo and Benavidez, all better fighters. Yet he still managed to fight in two of those three fights.
Getting rid of Trevor McCumby is a must if he wants to get back on the map with the likes of Canelo and Benavidez. David Morrell has moved up to light heavyweight. Christian Mbilli or Diego Pacheco could fancy a shot if Plant looks vulnerable here. Jermall Charlo could come in from distance in a move that would be a trademark for PBC matchmakers.
In his most recent outing, on Pro Box, after a strong start against Christopher Pearson, McCumby’s approach became difficult and predictable. Plant proved his strength against Dirrell. This could be competitive for a while and could end very abruptly.
Stephen Fulton vs Carlos Castro
As Philly’s backup Danny Garcia, this matchup with Carlos Castro will tell us a lot about Stephen Fulton, a year after he was mercilessly beaten by Naoya Inoue.
Castro was once highly regarded in some quarters. Back-to-back losses to Luis Nery and Brandon Figueroa sent Castro off to 2022 to forget. He has won three straight since then, albeit against opponents far inferior to Fulton.
Or, Fulton’s previous level, before the Japanese bombardment. Both men have solid foundations, so this could be a chess match for the top. Fulton will have four more pounds to play with at the new featherweight limit. Castro has decent size.
Now training under Bozy Ennis, if he can return to form against Inoue then Fulton will be the man to pick. The fight could be as much mental as physical over 10 tough rounds.
Rolando Romero vs Manuel Jaimes
Rolly is back and ready to add his own mix of humor and complexity to the sideline. People love to watch him, mostly to see him lose or look bad. Romero, of late, has not disappointed.
Under new coach Ismael Salas, Rolly may finally be ready to abandon the physical, awkward style that made him famous in favour of a more cautious, jab-led style of boxing. Elbows, grabs, hooks and grappling suit him well, and while those changes may make sense in principle, they mean the fighter loses the edge of unpredictability.
Jaimes is a little-known fighter who digs deep and uses mass to overwhelm his opponents. Romero will look to find space and hurt Jaimes as he rolls forward and throws combinations.
If Romero’s power doesn’t wear down Jaimes, this could be a real fight. Romero struggled with Isaac Cruz’s punching power and Jaimes will bring the same pressure. The longer this goes on, the more interesting this fight could be.
