David Benavidez and Caleb Plant will go head to head in a pivotal 168-pound pay-per-view match Saturday night in Las Vegas.
DAVID BENAVIDEZ (26-0, 23 KOS) Vs. CALEB PLANTS (22-first, 13 KOS)
- Day: Saturday, March 25
- Time: 9pm ET / 6pm Pacific Time (main event follows)
- Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
- television/stream: Pay per view
- Assignment: Super Medium (168 pounds)
- threatened: No main title
- Pound-for-pound ratings: Benavidez, Honorable Men
- the odds: Benavidez 2½-1 favorite (multi-store average)
- Also on the card: Cody Crowley vs Abel Ramos, welterweight; Jesus Ramos versus Joey Spencer, junior middleweight; Chris Colbert vs Jose Valenzuela, lightweight
- Guess: Benavidez KO 10
- Background: Benavidez vs Plant could be the biggest 168-pound fight that could happen without the involvement of undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez. The 26-year-old but two-time super-middleweight champion Benavidez, who lost his title outside the ring, first after testing positive for cocaine and then underweight. His mistakes certainly did not damage his reputation. The burly Phoenix native is one of the most destructive strike fighters in the world, which many believe makes him a real threat to Alvarez. He stopped his last six opponents, including David Lemieux in his most recent fight last May. Plant, also a former owner, lost the belt to Alvarez by an 11lame pants-The knockout round in November 2021. The muscular, slick technician is back stop former champion Anthony Dirrell with a single left hook in the ninth round last October, restoring any luster he lost when he fell to the Mexican. Winner Benavidez-Plant will have a chance to challenge Alvarez, although the champion is scheduled to face John Ryder on May 6 and is aiming for a rematch with 175-pound belts champion Dmitry Bivol in September.
