On Saturday, boxing’s biggest star Canelo Alvarez seeks to defend his Ring Magazine, WBA, WBC and WBO super middleweight titles in a unification bout with unbeaten IBF counterpart Caleb Plant at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The super middleweight showdown will be broadcast on Showtime pay-per-view in the U.S., beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.
Canelo boasts a cache of standout wins over Shane Mosley (UD 12), Austin Trout (UD 12), Erislandy Lara (SD 12), Miguel Cotto (UD 12), Gennadiy Golovkin (MD 12), Daniel Jacobs (UD 12), Sergey Kovalev (KO 11), Callum Smith (UD 12) and Billy Joe Saunders (RTD 8). The 31-years-old is a modern day great, having captured world titles at junior middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight. He is now one win away from becoming the undisputed super middleweight champion.
Plant, who is rated No. 2 by The Ring at 168 pounds, won the IBF super middleweight title by dropping and comprehensively outboxing Jose Uzcategui (UD 12) in January 2019. The 29-year-old Nashville-born fighter has since tallied three ordinary title defenses against Mike Lee (TKO 3), Vincent Feigenbutz (TKO 10) and former titleholder Caleb Truax (UD 12).
How will Canelo (56-1-2, 38 knockouts) offset Plant’s height and reach advantages? Does Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) have enough power to keep Canelo at the end of his jab? Will the cut that opened under Plant’s right eye during the press conference melee re-open during the fight? How will Plant handle the big occasion?
Online gambling group William Hill lists Canelo as an 1/12 (-1200) favorite, while Plant is priced at 13/2 (+650); the draw is 22/1 (+2200).
Here’s how the experts see it:
TOM GRAY: CANELO TKO 10
“I like Plant; he’s got a lot of tools and he’s a passionate fighter. I just don’t think he has anything that Canelo hasn’t seen before. I foresee him presenting a mobile target early on, but Canelo is so good at threading home counters that Plant is likely to become discouraged when that style doesn’t work for him. When he comes off his toes, Canelo will find the target more often and the damage will start to mount. I think Plant will need saved from himself after a fairly one-sided fight. Canelo is brilliant and he’s only getting better.”
ANSON WAINWRIGHT: CANELO TKO 10
“Plant should pose Canelo with some trouble due to his educated jab, footwork, size and confidence. However, this represents a significant step up for him. Plant isn’t facing a top contender or rival champion, he’s facing pound-for-pound the best in the world. I thought Callum Smith’s size would pose Canelo trouble. It didn’t, he negated it and was much too good for the Brit. So, while I think Plant will have moments, as the fight goes into the second half Canelo will start to walk him backwards more and more and stop the American late. Canelo in 10 rounds.”
LEE GROVES: CANELO TKO 10
“Plant’s best hope is to impose a faster pace than the methodical Alvarez wants and keep him at the end of a busy and accurate jab from start to finish. But Alvarez has a terrific history against tall, rangy fighters like Plant, and while it may take him a few rounds to assess data and to warm up his engine, his heavy hands will eventually get the best of ‘Sweet Hands.’”
MICHAEL WOODS: CANELO TKO
“It’s a nice feeling and it helps build brand buzz when you pile up win after win and get to 20-0, then 21-0, like Caleb Plant did. But when the foes you are beating are not A-grade so much, that way of doing things does you no favors when you get a step-up fight. Canelo is a two-step up fight for Plant, and it will show on November 6. Expect Canelo to be slightly less methodical for as long as he usually is because Plant has pissed him off slightly. That means stoppage for Alvarez, Round 6 or earlier.”
MARTY MULCAHEY: CANELO UD
“Caleb Plant has the toolset to trouble Saul Alvarez early, but like most of Alvarez’s opponents he lacks the firepower to keep Alvarez at bay to prevent being walked down and bullied into submission. Yes, Plant has quality footwork but he won’t win a decision with his feet alone. Alvarez begins to shorten the distance, cutting off the ring, and land hooks to go along with his underrated jab at dramatically higher percentage from the fifth round on. I do think Plant has the wherewithal to go the distance, but he loses on the cards in the 116-112 range.”
MICHAEL MONTERO: CANELO UD
“Skills pay the bills, and experience matters. Plant is taller, longer and has never tasted defeat, but he is yet to face an elite-level fighter. The gap in experience here is immense. It would be a moral victory for Plant to hear the final bell. The Nashville native has been cut before, but as long as his skin holds up against Canelo, I believe he’s got enough moxy to go the distance. I like Canelo wide on points, although it wouldn’t surprise me to see one judge score it way too close.”