NFL
By: Julio Olmo
Fight Week:
IBF super-middleweight champion Caleb Plant to defend the belt against Caleb Truax.
Undefeated IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant will defend his belt against former titleholder Caleb Truax on January 30th.
The bout will headline a Premier Boxing Champions card airing on Fox.
The fight was announced during Wednesday’s PBC broadcast and by Plant on Twitter.
Plant, 28, is undefeated at 20-0 with 12 knockouts, including a stoppage in his most recent contest in February over Vincent Feigenbutz.
This will be Plant’s third title defense since winning the belt in January 2019 when he defeated José Uzcátegui.
Plant was twice linked this year to a bout with pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez before talks broke down on both occasions.
Alvarez is scheduled to face Callum Smith on Saturday in San Antonio. Plant is No. 2 in ESPN’s super middleweight rankings.
The 37-year-old Truax, No. 10 in ESPN’s super middleweight rankings, is looking for a second IBF super-middleweight title reign after his first one was short-lived.
Truax upset James DeGale in December 2017 to capture the crown via a split decision, then fell in the rematch almost four months later.
Truax fought once in 2020, a January victory over David Basajjamivule.
The Minnesota native was slated to face Alfredo Angulo in August but was forced to pull out the night prior because of dehydration.
- When: Saturday, January 30
- Where: Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall, Los Angeles
- TV/Stream: FOX
- Division: Super middleweight (168 pounds)
- At stake: Plant’s IBF title
- Pound-for-pound ranking: None
- Odds: Plant 20-1 (BetMGM)
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Prediction: Plant by Knockout before 10th round:
Plant, talented and athletic, is considered one of the rising stars in the sport.
The Tennessean won his super middleweight title with an impressive decision over rugged Jose Uzcategui in January 2019 and has successfully defended two times.
He is in the sights of fellow belt holder and superstar Canelo Alvarez, who has stated that he wants to unify the 168-pound belts.
That fight could happen in May or September if Plant wins on Saturday.
Truax, 37, is a former titleholder, having upset Olympic champion James DeGale by decision in December 2017.
However, he lost the belt on points in a rematch four months later and has problems since then.
A fight with Peter Quillin was declared a no-contest after he suffered a severe cut.
And he tore his Achilles tendon while preparing for the rematch.
He says he’s healthy going into his fight with Plant.
Five fights that need to be made in 2021:
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Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua
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Ryan Garcia vs Tank Davis
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Terence Crawford vs Shawn Porter
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Canelo Alvarez vs David Benavidez
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And…
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Srisaket Sor Rungvisai vs the Winner of Roman Gonzales vs Juan Francisco Estrada
I agree on all of them! Chocolatito – Estrada is going to be a War!
— Cuban Lion (@LionCuban) January 16, 2021
