Fight Week: Plant vs. Truax, the Battle of Calebs

FIGHT WEEK

Caleb plant is making the third defense of his super middleweight title against Caleb Truax on FOX.

***

TREVOR BRYAN (20-0, 14 KOs) VS. TBA

When: Friday, Jan. 29 Where: Seminole Hard Rock, Hollywood, Fla. TV/Stream: PPV ($19.95) Division: Heavyweight (unlimited) At stake: No titles Pound-for-pound ranking: None Odds: NA Also on the card: Beibut Shumenov vs. Raphael Murphy, cruiserweights; Ron Johnson vs. Raphael Zumbano, heavyweights Prediction: – Background: One-time title challenger Manuel Carr is supposed to face Trevor Bryan in the main event but it’s not clear whether the card will actually include the Lebanese-German, the result of last-minute snags. The 36-year-old hasn’t fought since November 2017 for a variety of reasons, including a failed drug test in 2018 that earned him a six-month suspension but was later overturned. He has the reputation of being a decent boxer-puncher with experience in big fights, including a fourth-round knockout loss against then-beltholder Vitali Klitschko in 2012. Bryan also has had a long layoff, having last fought in August 2018. The 6-foot-4 New Yorker also is a capable heavyweight. He has stopped his last three opponents, including B.J. Flores in four rounds in that 2018 fight. Charr holds what the WBA calls its “regular” title, which Boxing Junkie doesn’t recognize.

***

CALEB PLANT (20-0, 12 KOs) VS.
caleb truax (31-4-2, 19 KOs)

Caleb Plant, pictured here during his victory over Mike Lee (left), must get past Caleb Truax to move into career-defining fights. Joe Camporeale / USA TODAY Sports

When: Saturday, Jan. 30 Where: Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall, Los Angeles TV/Stream: FOX Division: Super middleweight (168 pounds) At stake: Plant’s IBF title Pound-for-pound ranking: None Odds: Plant 20-1 (BetMGM) Also on the card: Jose Armando Resendiz vs. Alantez Fox, super middleweights Prediction: Plant KO 10 Background: Plant, talented and athletic, is considered one of the rising stars in the sport. The Tennessean won his super middleweight title with an impressive decision over rugged Jose Uzcategui in January 2019 and has successfully defended two times. He is in the sights of fellow beltholder and superstar Canelo Alvarez, who has stated that he wants to unify the 168-pound belts. That fight could happen in May or September if Plant wins on Saturday. Truax, 37, is a former titleholder, having upset Olympic champion James DeGale by decision in December 2017. However, he lost the belt on points in a rematch four months later and has problems since then. A fight with Peter Quillin was declared a no-contest after he suffered a severe cut. And he tore his Achilles tendon while preparing for the rematch. He says he’s healthy going into his fight with Plant.