FIGHT WEEK
David Benavidez and Caleb Plant will kick off a pivotal 168-pound pay-per-view match Saturday in Las Vegas. Also on Saturday, Jose Ramirez will face Richard Commey in the 140-pound opponents’ match in Fresno, California.
DAVID BENAVIDEZ (26-0, 23 KOS) Vs. CALEB PLANTS (22-first, 13 KOS)
- When: 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, though 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.
JOSE RAMIREZ (27-1, 17 KOS) Vs. RICHARD COMMEY (30-4-first, 27 KOS)
- When: Saturday, March 25
- Time: 10pm ET / 7pm Pacific Time (main event follows)
- Where: Save Arena Mart, Fresno, California
- television/stream: GAME, GAME +
- Assignment: Junior weight class (140 pounds)
- threatened: No main title
- Pound-for-pound ratings: Do not have
- the odds: Ramirez 6-1 favorite (multi-store average)
- Also on the card: Seniesa Estrada vs Tina Rupprecht, straw weight class (for Estrada’s WBA belt and Rupprecht’s WBC belt); Raymond Muratalla vs. Humberto Galindo, lightweight
- Guess: University of Ramirez
- Background: Winner Ramirez-Commey will take a significant step toward claiming the 140-pound title. Ramirez, a former owner, lost two belts to current champion Josh Taylor by a close but unanimous decision in May 2021. The 2012 U.S. Olympic athlete was bounced back by points out capable veteran Jose Pedraza in March of the following year, it was his last time in the ring. He’s ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning agencies. Fresno area natives will battle Commey in front of hometown crowds. Commey, ranked by three organizations, has managed to stay relevant despite poor performance over the past few years. The hardcore Ghanaian is 1-2-1 in his last four matches, although losses have come to elite rivals Teofimo Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko. He painted with Pedraza in his most recent game, last August, which kept his title hopes alive. He hasn’t won a match since stopping Jackson Marinez in February 2021, more than two years ago.
FIGHT THIS WEEK
THURSDAY
- Christian Mbilli vs Carlos Gongora, super middleweight, Montreal (ESPN+)
FRIDAY
- Ivan Zucco vs Germaine Brown, super middleweight, Milan, Italy (ESPN+)
SATURDAY
- Lawrence Okolie vs David Light, cruiser class (for Okolie’s WBO title), Manchester, UK (no TV in the US)
