3/25 PBC on SHO PPV: David Benavidez vs Caleb Plant

[patscorpio]

Caleb Plant Pokes David Benavidez In Face After They Make Weight At MGM Grand​

BY KEITH IDEC
Published Fri Mar 24, 2023, 04:46 PM EDT
LAS VEGAS – Caleb Plant didn’t wait this time for his opponent to put his hands on Plant as they went face to face on stage Friday afternoon.
Plant poked David Benavidez in his cheek with his left index finger after they made weight. The bitter rivals were quickly separated by promoter Tom Brown and security personnel positioned around them at KA Theatre inside MGM Grand.
That was the extent of their minor altercation, as order was quickly restored the day before their 12-round fight for Benavidez’s WBC interim super middleweight title Saturday night at nearby MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Moments earlier, Benavidez (26-0, 23 KOs), a Phoenix native who resides in suburban Seattle, stepped on the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s scale at 166¾ pounds. Plant (22-1, 13 KOs), a former IBF super middleweight champ from Ashland City, Tennessee, officially weighed slightly more, 167¼ pounds.
Benavidez, 26, and Plant, 30, will headline a four-fight Showtime Pay-Per-View telecast ($74.99). Most sportsbooks list Benavidez as a 3-1 favorite over Plant, who has lost only to undisputed super middleweight champ Canelo Alvarez by 11th-round technical knockout in November 2021 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
The official weights for the eight undercard bouts are listed below.
Showtime Pay-Per-View
9 p.m. ET; 6 p.m. PT
Jesus Ramos (19-0, 15 KOs), Casa Grande, Arizona, 153¼ pounds vs. Joey Spencer (16-0, 10 KOs), Fenton, Michigan, 153¼ pounds, 10 rounds, junior middleweights.
Chris Colbert (16-1, 6 KOs), Brooklyn, 134½ pounds vs. Jose Valenzuela (12-1, 8 KOs), Renton, Washington, 134 pounds, 10 rounds, lightweights.
Cody Crowley (21-0, 9 KOs), Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, 145¼ pounds vs. Abel Ramos (27-5-2, 21 KOs), Casa Grande, Arizona, 146 pounds, 12 rounds, WBC elimination match.
Showtime Sports YouTube channel
7 p.m. ET; 4 p.m.
Kevin Gonzalez (25-0-1, 13 KOs) Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, 121½ pounds vs. Jose Sanmartin (34-6-1, 21 KOs), Barranquilla, Colombia, 122½ pounds, 10 rounds, junior featherweights.
Orestes Velazquez (6-0, 6 KOs), Miami, 142 pounds vs. Marcelino Lopez (37-2-1, 22 KOs), Buenos Aires, Argentina, 141¾ pounds, 10 rounds, junior welterweights.
Non-televised
Robert Meriwether III (3-0, 2 KOs), Las Vegas, 132 pounds vs. Jesus Perez (14-15-1, 8 KOs), Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, 131 pounds, 4 rounds, lightweights.
Daniel Blancas (5-0, 3 KOs), Milwaukee, 167 pounds vs. Nicholas Molina (4-1-1, 4 KOs), Laredo, Texas, 167½ pounds, 6 rounds, super middleweights.
Demler Zamora (10-0, 8 KOs), Las Vegas, 129½ pounds vs. Jesus Ibarra (15-0, 7 KOs), Apache Junction, Arizona, 130 pounds, 8 rounds, junior lightweights.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.

 

[patscorpio]

really the only questions that remain for me involve benavidez

1. how much will he rehydrate in the next 24 hours?
2. will coming in well under the super middle limit affect his normally good stamina and workrate?

plant is as usual...nothing surprising or extraordinary from him other than wanton disrespect of his opponent

 

[patscorpio]

 

[Deafheaven]

Fat boy looks like a cadaver

 

[UncleTomFord15]

Forgot this shyt is tomorrow . Should be a great fight

 

[patscorpio]

 

[malbaker86]

Skateboard P(lant)

don't ask me how

 

[Apollo Creed]

 

[((ReFleXioN)) EteRNaL]

I try not put much stock into weigh ins, but Jesus Christ...David looks horrible. Guess we'll have a better idea when we see him tomorrow.

 

[True Blue Moon]

David been appearing shook these last few days

Thought it was just me that felt that way

 

[Thatrogueassdiaz]

Every big fight people put too much stock on how a fighter looks during press conferences and weigh ins. I put far more stock into how a fighter looks back stage and during ring walks than I do anything leading to the night of the fight.

 

[Vancouver Grizzly Fan]

David been appearing shook these last few days

I try not put much stock into weigh ins, but Jesus Christ...David looks horrible. Guess we'll have a better idea when we see him tomorrow.

I told y'all before, this is Benavidez last fight at 168.

His management about to screw him badly after Plant schools his ass.

All the pressure is on Benavidez, he's supposed to KO Plant, nothing less.

Plant in no way shape or form should be a 3 to 1 underdog in this fight. Anyone who watches the sport knows this is a 50/50 fight. Why not take a shot with the more experienced, skilled, and relax fighter.

 

[Derek Lee]

What do you guys think this ppv ends up selling?

Slightly over 200K

 

[Vaselclean]

Benavidez so drained he couldn't even react to Plant in time.

I don't think he shook, he just needs food and water.

 

[Derek Lee]