Caleb Plant scores unanimous decision over Uzcategui to win IBF super middleweight title

Mark Ortega

Caleb Plant scores unanimous decision over Uzcategui to win IBF super middleweight title image

Even those who picked Caleb Plant to win had to be surprised by the way he did it Sunday.

Plant lifted the IBF super middleweight title from Jose Uzcategui in their FS1-televised main event, earning a unanimous decision (116-110, 116-110 and 115-111). It wasn’t a Plant win in the way we’ve become accustomed to seeing it. He scored a pair of knockdowns during the first four rounds — something he hadn’t done against lesser opposition in his previous two bouts that went the distance.

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Plant surprised the crowd in the second round when he dropped Uzcategui with a left hand after turning his opponent with beautiful footwork. Uzcategui didn’t look badly hurt, but it put a big dent in the Colombian-born fighter’s confidence early on. It also forced Uzcategui to respect Plant’s power — a key to Plant’s success Sunday.

Later, Plant scored another left-handed knockdown that sent Uzcategui spiraling to the canvas. Plant decided not to put his foot on the gas as Uzcategui didn't look badly hurt.

"I knew I caught him clean during those knockdowns, but I knew he wasn't all the way out, so I took my time," Plant said. "I stayed relaxed, I stuck to the game plan and got it done just like I said I would."

That being said, Plant's strategy to not fully pressure Uzcategui nearly cost him during the middle rounds. That's when the champion got stronger as the fight progressed, and Plant’s handspeed advantage got slimmer. Plant looked as though he was tiring a bit and his face was a bloody mask, with blood pouring from his right eye and nose.

Still, Plant would not be deterred. As he’s said in interviews, he has been through much tougher in his outside-the-ring life, having buried his 19-month-old daughter, Alia, a few years ago. During the ninth round, Uzcategui had Plant hurt, but the challenger was unwilling to go to the canvas. It was the toughest stretch of the fight Plant had to endure, but he made it through. There was question of whether he was jumping into water that was too deep, but he proved he was ready for the task.

Uzcategui continued to come on strong, but was unable to cut off the ring with much success. Plant got on his bicycle in the 12th and fended off the reckless aggression of his opponent to win by unanimous decision. (Sporting News scored the bout 114-112 for Plant).

The new champ will bring the title back to Tennessee to where his daughter rests, fulfilling the promise he made to her that he would one day be champion.

“I’ve worked my whole entire life for this,” said Plant. “Boxing 17 hard years. I buried my daughter in the process of trying to get this belt. I promised I would bring her this title and that is what I am going to do.”

Plant comes from Ashland City, with a population of less than 5,000 people. It's a poverty-stricken town that's been hit hard by the opioid crisis in the past few decades and Plant went into the fight intent to prove that you don't have to be a victim of your environment.

"This is overwhelming," Plant said. "I am a kid who came from nothing. I believed in myself and now I've been crowned king."

With the win, Plant is the only white American boxer who is also a world champion. He wouldn't state who he wants to face next, instead saying his focus is on soaking it all in.

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-Super bantamweight contender Brandon Figueroa (18-0, 13 KOs) passed another test in Sunday night’s co-main event, stopping former title challenger Moises Flores (25-2, 17 KOs) in the third round. After battering Flores early, Figueroa dropped Flores hard with a left hook early in the third. Flores made it to his feet, but was unable to weather the storm, getting dropped again, causing referee Jack Reiss to stop the fight at 1:35. The fight was an eliminator for the WBA belt held by Daniel Roman. Figueroa told Sporting News after the bout that he’s confident in himself and he’s ready for a title fight.

-Guillermo Rigondeaux (18-1, 12 KOs) made it look easy in his first fight under the PBC banner, demolishing Giovanni Delgado (16-9, 9 KOs) in the closing seconds of the opening round. It was Rigondeaux’s first fight in 13 months since suffering his first defeat at the hands of Vasyl Lomachenko at 130 pounds. The fight against Delgado was at 123 pounds, and after the fight, Rigondeaux told the media he was still the king at super bantamweight.

“Wherever the money is, give me a call,” Rigondeaux told reporters when asked if he would take fights against top 126-pounders in the PBC stable such as Leo Santa Cruz and Gary Russell Jr.

At 38, it will be interesting to see how active the Cuban can be. He credited Al Haymon for “putting me in the best position in my career.”

-Super welterweight prospect Joey Spencer (6-0, 6 KOs) carried his opponent Brandon Harder (2-2, KO) into the second round, dropping him with a right hand, left hook combination. Harder returned to his feet, but was done fighting, getting dropped once more before referee Tom Taylor called a halt to the bout.  

Mark Ortega