Caleb Plant’s knack for beefs positions him for many big fights

LAS VEGAS – Without doing it intentionally, Caleb Plant has repeatedly infiltrated the minds and caught the attention of men he may ultimately meet in the ring, sharply boosting interest in a string of potential showdowns.

Last year, Nashville’s Plant was walking through the bowels of T-Mobile Arena before the Terence Crawford-Errol Spence Jr. fight when he and then-middleweight champion Jermall Charlo exchanged words, preceding a hellacious right hand that the former super-middleweight champion “planted” on Charlo’s chin, staggering Charlo.

In May, Plant and Saturday main-event challenger Edgar Berlanga of Brooklyn had words after the Canelo Alvarez-Jaime Munguia weigh-in, forcing cooler heads to separate them.

Then, in June, Plant responded to Ryan Garcia saying inappropriate things about Plant’s broadcaster wife, Jordan Plant, throwing beer and water at Garcia and tempting him to step into another unofficial bout before Garcia was rushed away.

The activity has become a highly effective side hustle for the 32-year-old Plant (22-2, 13 KOs), who returns to the ring Saturday on the Amazon Prime Video pay-per-view by meeting Arizona’s Trevor McCumby (28-0, 21 KOs) on the Alvarez-Berlanga card at T-Mobile Arena.

Plant says his skirmishes are absolutely not premeditated.

“In all of these situations, me and my wife just pull up to the fights … I’ve been minding my business,” Plant said. “I’m obviously not looking for trouble if I’m rolling with (Jordan Plant) and with fights coming up, I’m not looking to hurt my hands. Trying to mind my business, but some people won’t let you mind your business.

“So when a situation like that arises, you’ve got to defend yourself.”

Plant was surprised to hear McCumby refer to him as a “quitter” despite Plant’s valiant efforts in taking Alvarez to the 11th round in a super-middleweight unification in 2021, and then going the distance with unbeaten former 168-pound champion David Benavidez in March 2023 have him fighting for the WBA interim belt Saturday.

“He’s been calling me a quitter. We’ll see who’s going to quit,” Plant said.

At the Alvarez-Berlanga news conference in Beverly Hills, Calif., last month, WBA mandatory challenger Berlanga and Plant had a brief shouting session before Alvarez assured his now respected former foe, “Don’t worry, Caleb, I’ll take care of him.”

The verbal hate seem relentless toward Plant.

At Tuesday’s grand arrivals, a fan interrupted Plant’s words on stage by barking, “You’ll get knocked out like you always do. You’re a bum.”

Plant, of course, turned to answer the man.

“Come up here and say that to my face,” Plant said. “Say that to my face and we’ll see how it works out. I’ll show you what a bum looks like.”

Plant says he’s stumped by the assorted beefs.

“That’s a question for them,” Plant said. “All I can do is do what I do.”

The focus is strengthening his position in the rankings Saturday night for a hopeful rematch with Alvarez, who punched Plant in the face at their Beverly Hills pre-fight news conference three years ago.

“Whoever wins – me – will be elevated to (interim champion), and with Canelo wearing the full belt, you can do the math on that,” Plant said. “Right now, it’s one fight at a time. I’ve got to focus on the task in front of me. Trevor’s undefeated. He’s looking to stay that way. And I’m looking to put on a show, so I’ve got to lock in.”

The wealth of potential opponents exists thanks to Plant himself.

Perhaps Charlo will emerge in 2025 from his personal troubles and need a fight. Who makes more sense than Plant?

If Berlanga loses from this high-profile moment and wants another big fight against an ex-champion? Look no further than Plant.

And when Garcia comes back from his performance-enhancing drug suspension, Plant would certainly love to welcome the former 140-pounder back in the ring.

Plant is excited by the prospects and the recent strides he’s made in the gym.