By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)
Caleb Plant had to get up from a fourth-round knockdown, but stormed back to overpower Trevor McCumby in route to a ninth-round stoppage win on the Canelo vs Berlanga undercard.
Plant (23-2, 13 KO) was a heavy favorite coming in, but did show some rust after an 18-month layoff, and had to sort of grow into the fight. He definitely had to do that once it was clear that underdog McCumby (28-1, 21 KO) was here to fight, as he brought some power shots to the former titleholder early, and scored that knockdown in the fourth. With a fight probably tied after four rounds and Plant maybe a point down, Plant had to use his experience and start taking control of the fight.
Whether he’ll admit it or not, Plant seemed to “wake up” from there, and the dog came out of him, as he stood in the pocket and bullied McCumby both physically and mentally starting in the fifth round, leading to the referee stopping the fight right before the end of round nine.
Now that Plant is the interim WBA super Middleweight champion which makes no sense since the present WBA champion is still active and champ. His name is Canelo Alvarez.
Plant landed more than double the punches, and connected on nearly 55% of his punches, showing his domination.
The 41-year-old Erislandy Lara faced Danny “Swift” Garcia at Middleweights but the 36-year-old Garcia coming off a two-year layoff looked older as a fighter than Lara. Garcia only connected on 33 punches over 9 rounds and connected on 17 percent of punches. He looked slow, tentative, and unable to get any offense going. In the second round he didn’t even connect on a single punch. It is not that Lara was spectacular as he connected on only 67 punches and landed only a quarter of his punches, but he was a more effective fighter.
Garcia was a champion at 140 and 147 pounds while defeating high profiles but now he is an older fighter, and it showed. Garcia lacked energy and not the aggressive Garcia in his prime and he got consistently nailed by Lara right hand jab. Lara landed consecutive rights before a sharp left sent Garica to his knee in the ninth. His corner stopped the fight and maybe a great career will be over.
In recent times the annual celebration of Mexico independence included a Canelo Alvarez fight and Canelo essentially dismantled Edgar Berlanga for this year celebration and the undefeated Berlanga lost his zero after his fight with Alvarez.
Alvarez in the third round landed a monstrous left hook in round three and won by scores 117-110, 118-109, and 118-109. Alvarez is one of the best pounds for pound and all time great with a spot in the Hall of Fame already in place. After the knock down, Berlanga fought a fight of survival and rarely went for broke with power shots as he already felt Alvarez power in the third round, and didn’t want to be counter again. Stats favored Alvarez as he connected on double punches and double power shots.
There are two fighters he is thinking about, one being a rematch with Dmitry Bivol who must first get back Beterbiev in a battle of undefeated light heavyweights. Then there is Terrance Crawford and owner of a piece of the junior Middleweights championship but while this fight brings in money, it does nothing for Alvarez legacy as he should defeat the smaller Crawford. Defeat Bivol or even Beterbiev who are two of the better light heavyweights this century and this adds to his legacy as possibly the greatest fighter of this century.
What we saw was Alvarez destroy a young fighter with easy victory, a possible end of career of a great fighter as Garcia showed the properties of an aging fighter and Caleb Plant continued to keep his place as a contender of the super Middleweight division.