Canelo Stops Plant at 168, But Questions Remain
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Las Vegas, NV (November 7th, 2021)– Canelo Alvarez gave Caleb Plant credit for a great effort, as he at least showed up to fight. The previously undefeated World Boxing Organisation World Super Middleweight champion Caleb Plant did a great job mixing it with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, exchanging a nasty war of words, punches and insults in the prefight buildup to sell their 168-pound titular world title super middleweight 168-pound unification bout. Then, in the main event on an eight-bout card at MGM Grand, Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas Nevada, on Saturday night, November 6, 2021. Then, very quickly from nowhere after the start of round eleven, Plant was magically hurt by Canelo, suddenly fell, then got up to get knocked out, as if precisely on cue. It was the outcome fight fans expected, a near repeat of referee Russell Mora’s previous Alvarez versus Kovalev 175 pound title bout, where Canelo finished Kovalev in a similar fashion late in the fight.
The script was predictable, regardless of the circumstances. Alvarez, now 57-1-2 with 39 knockouts, Guadalajara, Mexico, claimed the unified World Boxing Council, World Boxing Association, World Boxing Organisation and International Boxing Federation World Super Middleweight titles. In doing so, he basically now must make the decision to remain in the division to fight opponents who are available or move up to 175 pounds Light heavyweight. Canelo does not appear to be cruiserweight, Bridgerweight or heavyweight material, so 175 pounds light heavyweight would appear to be the maximum on his contractual trail of fights every few months obligatory.
Canelo got 40 million dollars for this appearance, Plant, now 21-1 with 12 knockouts, Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Nashville, Tennessee, does not have to leave town.
The bout appeared to be roughly even by the numbers at the time it ended, but Las Vegas is Las Vegas, and Canelo is Canelo, which is why the judges had it 96-94, 97-93, and 98-92. Even while fighting the fight of his life under the best of circumstances and preparations, if Plant outboxed Canelo over the final three rounds and won them, Canelo would have won the bout by split decision. Plant allowed Canelo to nail him along the ropes twice as this bout ended, varying from the game plan to prevent Canelo from getting inside while maintaining distance range and using height and reach advantage. If you allow a stronger, shorter fighter to get inside, cut the ring off, and trap you along the ropes, you are going to be doomed. Plant held well with Canelo, which was a good tactic after heated exchanges or their attempts, which Joe Louis could not do against Rocky Marciano. Ultimately, though, Plant tired and would up along the ropes, and met the same fate as Louis did against Marciano, went down, got up, got caught along the ropes, and got knocked out the sequence in repeat.
From the start of the bout, southpaw Plant held a low left in front of him for picking and pawing at distance range Floyd Mayweather Jr. style. The low left was not a factor, providing the fighter remain primarily out of range picking jabs and power shots at his shorter target. Moving left and right, while Canelo came forward as the shorter stalker, Plant needed to establish the jab and set the tempo of the bout immediately. The ringside commentators noted for Plant to win, he had to throw combinations while moving, and stay off the ropes. The formula was correct until he stopped moving and got caught on the ropes. Whenever Plant got anywhere near the ropes, Canelo attacked with head and body shots. The warning signs were there.
Plant held whenever he landed and missed with straight jabs, or wound up too close in the center ring. Canelo avoided initiating holding. Canelo’s approach was to come in, and come over Plant’s southpaw right with the left hand to the side of the head. Plant responded by engaging in a ferocious toe to toe brief exchanges while they would up in close, to keep Canelo from bullying him into the ropes. Canelo has a great defense. Plant did best while moving. Eventually, his movement began to slow down bit by bit, which proved his undoing. Plant knew whenever he got caught in close or tangled up with Canelo, if he could not completely hold him, Canelo would unload punishing body shots and head shot attacks. Plant was nailing or trying to nail Canelo with carefully placed jabs or single power shots. Canelo basically ripped with power attacks when he got Plant in close. Plant knew he could not allow Canelo to reach him with punches of consequence.
Plant appeared to have the faster hands, seen when he threw combinations. However, Canelo appeared to have superior power, and he made Plant pay with constant ripping shots whenever Plant stopped moving or wound up in close. More hooks began to get thrown by both combatants near the end of round three. By round four, the tempo of the bout began to slow slightly, with more action in the center ring, favoring Canelo, who did not throw more punches than Plant, but threw the more meaningful punches. Plant got hit flush in the face on the ropes in round four. Plant should not have been there.
As round five evolved, Canelo the counterpuncher continued to narrow the gap and get closer to Plant. The jab of Plant continued to paw forward as he moved side to side, but Canelo, sensing blood down the road, threw ominous counter power shots. By round six, Plant was trying to outbox Canelo in the center ring, a game plan mistake. As Canelo continued to pick apart Plant meticulously and holds were more frequent, Canelo, whose head movement was superior, continued to find openings for his right hands over the top. Plant’s hands began to lower, translating to Canelo head shot and body shot pinpoint combinations. Plant’s jabs were missing, and Canelo pushed Plant off proficiently. Plant, who won rounds one and three solidly behind his jab, now had both hands hung low. Plant tried to throw short punches at Canelo and then hold. Canelo went defensively on the ropes to try to bait Plant in, a tactic Plant did not fall for. Their heads became too close.
By the eighth round, Plant looked like a bearded lumbering lumberjack, a sort of confused Pual Bunyan trying to deal with a tree that would not fall. Although the bout was close in its own way, Plant was throwing jabs which lacked a stinging effect. Forgetting the punch count, and the power punch count, it visually appeared Canelo was the power shot warrior, and the ring tempo being set by Canelo the stalker was slowly but surely taking its toll on a decaying Plant.
As round nine evolved, Canelo’s come forward pressure was cutting off the ring more so, putting Plant along the ropes more than he had been before. This created more and more opportunities for Canelo to attack Plant along the ropes. Canelo smartly hooked to the body. Canelo looked more and more like a wolf tracker walking down a tiring wolf. As round ten continued Plant’s decline, Canelo continued to land more effective power shots with Plant caught more and more along the ropes, though still moving. Canelo took the bout back to center ring with effective pinpoint short but powerful body shots and uppercuts, feeling out to see what Plant had left, and not getting much back in return. Plant was there, but not moving, or landing anything of consequence.
In round 12, a left hook right hook combination from Canelo dropped Plant to his knees on cue, who got up, and walked the distance of the ring to clear his head. Two short lefts to the side of the head dropped Plant for good, ending the bout. It became apparent Canelo is one class above anybody in the 168-pound division, and the question remains why would he stay there. The opposition remaining at 168 pounds is not as good as Plant, leaving only Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, the 175-pound world champions, as viable future opponents. The other question is the financial incentive to fight Canelo overrides the desire to beat him. It is going to take one hungry soul to catch Canelo as his career fades maybe at age 36 or 37 to take Canelo out. GGG, who is already pushing 40, never looked better, and Canelo, who is well prepared is going to be a tough nut for any fighter to rise to the level of GGG and outbox him to get the scorecards against Canelo. Still, opponents want to fight Canelo for the generous payday, whatever it is, as it pays to fight Canelo while Canelo is still on top as Canelo. The final question is who will be the next hungry warrior to take the Canelo plunge? The odds say Canelo moves up to challenge at 175 pounds.
Result: Saul Canelo Alvarez KO 11 Caleb Plant, Super Middleweights (1:05)
Undisputed WBA WBC WBO and IBF Unified World Super Middleweight title
Referee: Russell Mora. Plant down twice in round 11, second time down, out and done
MGM Grand Garden Arena Undercard Results
Elvis Rodriguez KO 5 Juan Pablo Romero, Welterweights (2:59). End of the round surprise! 14-0 Mexican Romero, down in the fourth round, dealt fifth round kayo blow by Dominican southpaw 12-1-1 Rodriguez in a preliminary bout to the main event. Kaboom!
Anthony Dirrell TKO 4 Marcos Hernandez, Light Heavyweights (0:22). The first win for former WBC World Super Middleweight champion Dirrell in 21 months. Hernandez went down in the fourth round. Both weighed at 168 ½ pounds, so bout went off at light heavyweight.
Rey Vargas Win 10 Leonardo Baez, Super Featherweights. Mexican featherweight prospect Vargas now 35-0 with 22 knockouts. A virtual shutout as fellow Mexican compatriot Baez weighed over at 126 ½ pounds, and won only one round on one scorecard.
Jose Antonio Mesa Win 8 Jose Manuel Gomez, Lightweights. 8-6 Durango Mexico veteran Mesa came off the deck in the first round to outpoint previously undefeated 12-1 California prospect Gomez by scores of 76-75, 76-75, 76-75 in an unexpected thriller.
Fernando Diaz KO 5 Jan Saltavierra, Flyweights. 10-1-1 California prospect Diaz knocks out previously undefeated Mexican prospect Saltavierra in another upset.
Rances Barthelemy TKO 2 Gustavo David Vittori, Welterweights (1:54). 28-1-1 Cuban former IBF World Lightweight champion Barthelemy had 25-10-1 Argentina’s Vittori down twice in the second round.
Joselito Velazquez Win 8 Gilberto Mendoza, Flyweights. 14-0-1 Mexican prospect Velazquez won every round 80-72 on scorecards over 19-11-3 Mendoza of California.
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