Plant: The key to beating Benavidez is just being myself
Caleb Plant wouldn’t mind a chance to avenge a loss to Canelo, but in the meanwhile he’s focused on beating David Benavidez.
Caleb Plant held his open media workout and took time to chat with reporters about his perspective on his upcoming collision with David Benavidez. Plant, who has had his eyes on this matchup for quite some time, says he’s not going to overextend himself in either the build up or the fight itself.
“The key to this fight is just being myself,” said Plant. “That’s what’s getting my hand raised. I’m hungry for this. This is a big moment and a moment I’ve worked a long time to reach. I’m going to make the most of it.”
As most are now aware, Plant has recently aligned with Stephen ‘Breadman’ Edwards as his lead trainer, and says their working relationship has been paying dividends in training camp as he looks for it to carry over into the fight.
“I feel really good,” Plant said. “Last camp we brought in ‘Breadman’ and we had a lot of great chemistry with the whole team. He’s easy to get along with and he just expects me to work hard. That’s right up our alley and that’s what we like to do. He brought some of that Philly grit with him and helped reiterate a lot of things that my dad [co-trainer Richie Plant] had been trying to instill in me.
“Different people handle things in different ways. I’m cool, calm and collected. I’m focused and I’ve had a great camp. We’re going into this fight 100%. I can only speak for my team, but we’re ready to handle business.”
So as Plant looks ahead to the battle to come, he says he’s preparing for whatever style Benavidez will be looking to impose, and Benavidez will be the ones taking risks if he thinks he’s going to just walk him down.
“If Benavidez wants to come forward, then he should just handle his business how he sees fit. That’s what I’m going to do on March 25. We’re going to get in there, roll the dice and see what happens.
“My power has always been there but I’ve been getting more back to my roots. ‘Breadman’ and my dad have a lot of similarities in how they want me to box and train. With some of it, I’m getting back to my old ways, but it’s combined with the new things that ‘Breadman’ is bringing to the table and teaching me.”
Plant knows that this fight will have the eyes of the boxing world on it, and believes he could possibly propel himself back into a rematch with Canelo Alvarez. But Plant also knows that he can’t be too focused on what could happen after this fight and would rather focus on the task at hand.
“This is one of the biggest fights that can be made in boxing and I’m just looking forward to everyone being a part of it,” said Plant.
“I’d love to right a wrong and get the rematch with Canelo Alvarez, but right now I’m just focused on the fight in front of me. Nothing happens until business is handled March 25.”