It’s hard to pinpoint when David Benavidez’s dislike of Caleb Plant developed into raging hatred, but it was on full display at the Feb. 2 press conference in Los Angeles that kicked off promotion for their Saturday night fight. The World Boxing Council interim super-middleweight championship is on the line with the victor going on to face Saul “Canelo” Álvarez, but there’s more at stake.
Pride, for one. “The animus between these two guys is real,” said Showtime Sports’ Brian Custer at the opening of the press conference. “And let’s be honest. When you have that kind of hostility, it can produce iconic, great fights.”
Custer compared Benavidez-Plant to Ali-Frazier, Robinson-LaMotta and Leonard-Durán after insisting there was no hyperbole to the hype surrounding the matchup of 168-pound pugilists. As if to validate Custer’s words, both Benavidez and his father José verbally disrespected Plant with extreme belligerence during the latter’s time on the microphone. They peppered Plant with pejoratives that rhyme with “witch” and “wussy” while Plant’s passive-aggressive reference to Benavidez’s failure to pass a drug test was just one triggering transgression that caused “The Mexican Monster” to leap to his feet and attempt to menace his nemesis.
Benavidez proudly embraces the nickname bestowed upon him by Mike Tyson. The undefeated fighter specializes in battering opponents with flurries of combinations developed while training under his father. He became the youngest WBC super-middleweight champion in history at age 20 by defeating Ronald Gavril for the WBC title in a September 2017 split decision. A year later, Benavidez tested positive for cocaine and was stripped of his title.
He returned to the ring in March 2019, two months after Plant won the IBF super middleweight title from José Uzcátegui. The Nashville native defended his title three times before losing it to Álvarez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in November 2021. Álvarez stalked Plant to neutralize his mobility and finally clocked the taller fighter with a left hook and right uppercut in the 11th round.
Plant is game for a rematch and proved his worth by knocking out Anthony Dirrell in October. Benavidez beat David Lemieux in May to take his WBC interim super middleweight title. The match with Plant is his first defense.
Benavidez alleges Plant sucker punched his welterweight brother José Jr. Plant says there were inappropriate social media comments made by the Benavidez camp regarding his deceased daughter Alia. Benavidez expressed his desire, at the press conference, to beat the living (expletive) out of Plant and “put this (expletive) in the hospital.” Plant purchased davidbenavidez.com and is using it to promote his merchandise.
Someone will walk out of the ring with a belt as well as bragging rights to coming out on top in boxing’s biggest feud of the moment. For both fighters, it’s the most important bout of their lives up until now. Benavidez, in the end, appreciates Plant for bringing out the animal in him, but predicts he’ll stop the fight in round six. Plant would like to prove him wrong.
MGM Grand, 2 p.m. March 25, starting at $104. axs.com
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