David Benavidez (27-0, 23 KOs) used his youth and high work rate to successfully defend his interim WBC super middleweight title on Saturday night, beating Caleb Plant (22-2, 12 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The scores:
Undercard results:
Super featherweight Chris Colbert (17-1, 6 KOs) had to get up off the deck in the first round to come back to defeat Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela (12-2, 8 KOs) by a razor-thin 10-round unanimous decision.
Rayo had his way through most of the first half of the fight, battering the fragile-looking Colbert. In the second half of the fight, Colbert took over the fight due to Rayo gassing out. The judges scored it 95-94, 95-94, and 95-94.
In a WBC welterweight title eliminator, unbeaten Cody Crowley (22-0, 9 KOs) beat Abel Ramos (27-6-2, 21 KOs) by a 12 round majority decision. The judges’ scores were as follows: 116-112, 115-113 for Crowley, and 114-114.
Caleb Plant vs. David Benavidez, how to watch?
Tonight’s Caleb ‘Sweethands’ Plant vs. David Benavidez fight event will begin at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT, live on Showtime pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
“I put the ‘Monster’ down. How you call me? It’ll be a good fight, but I think it’ll be a little boring,” said Ronald Gavril to Fighthype about tonight’s Caleb Plant vs. David Benavidez fight in Las Vegas.
“You know Plant is going to run; it’s his style. It’s going to be a boring fight. Yeah, Benavidez is going to walk him down, throw a lot of punches. He’s a big guy, a tall guy, and has a good jab and throw a lot of punches.
“So, I see Benavidez winning by KO later rounds around eight or nine. Maybe, who knows?” said Gavril when told that Benavidez could knockout Plant quicker than Canelo Alvarez did in November 2021 when he stopped him in the eleventh round in Las Vegas in their super middleweight undisputed championship fight.
“I know Benavidez is going to have more volume with the punches, so he’s going to throw from the beginning. But I don’t know. I can’t wait to see the fight.
“I never sparred him,” said Gavril when asked if he ever sparred Plant. “They appreciate who I am, I think,” said Gavril when asked what boxing fans think of him for knocking down Benavidez in their first fight in September 2017, when he dropped the then 20-year-old ‘Mexican Monster’ in the 12th round, but still lost a wide unanimous decision.
“They appreciate who I am, a great boxer, and I took the big chance. Nobody give me a chance in that fight when I fight him [Benavidez], and Floyd call me and give me the fight, and I say, ‘Yes, I want that fight,’ and I showed people who I am.
“He get better, of course,” said Gavril when asked how much did Benavidez improve for their second fight. It was a few years ago, and he has more experience now to show people who he is and now I’m looking for third fight,” said the 36-year-old Gavril (23-3, 18 KOs), who has won his last five fights since suffering his second loss to Benavidez in 2018.
All of Gavril’s opposition during the last five years have come against obscure, weak opposition. He now fights at light heavyweight, which it even less likely he’ll get an opportunity to face Benavidez again.
“Of course,” said Gavril when asked if wants to fight Benavidez a third time. “It’s 1 and 1, right? I’m looking for third fight. I think it’s a bull s**t,” said Gavil when asked if it’s fair to blame Benavidez for getting dropped by him five years ago when he was only 20 years old at the time, fighting a more experienced 31-year-old fighter at the time.
“When you step in there [the ring], if you’re 20, 25, it doesn’t matter. I think it’s bull s**t. That was the fight. I show people what it is. I fight at light heavyweight in my last fight for the WBC belt [Continental Americas light heavyweight title against Khainell Wheeler (7-3, 6 KOs)].
Where to watch Plant vs. Benavidez?
Plant-Benavidez will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be shown on Showtime PPV. The event begins for the main portion of the card at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
“Soon, I have another fight and defend the title and I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m looking for a big fight this year. Anybody at 168. I want the winner of this fight [Plant vs. Benavidez].
“Of course, that’s my job,” said Gavril when asked if he would be willing to beat three or four more guys before he gets another title shot. That’s my job to win. Stay busy, stay in the gym and win the fights. That’s what I do.
“Minimum of three fights to say busy. I think it’s good. Nothing bad on that,” said Gavril when asked how many times per year he’d like to fight if it were up to him. For the record, Gavril has fought just five times in the last five years, so it would be a major upgrade in his activity if he were to fight three times in 2023.
“I think so, yes. It’s going to be good for the boxer if they stay busy and have more fights per year. Two or three fights like that. Big fights. For the beginners, more fights. For the top guys two or three fights per year is perfect, I think. In my opinion.
“Yeah,” said Gavril when asked if Benavidez was the best fighter he’s fought as a professional or amateur. “No, no, no, everybody can see it,” said Gavril when asked if Benavidez is overrated. “They destroyed a former champion.
“They kill everybody, they knocked out everybody, right? So, he’s a good champion, and everybody see it. If you have the balls to show it,” said Gavril when asked what advice he has for Plant.
“If you have the balls, show them. They showed he’s a good boxer, but he got knocked out by Canelo. So now it’s time to show what Plant it is. Of course, that’s why I go to win,” said Gavril when told that he had his best moments against Benavidez when he was attacking him aggressively.
“Give the fans what they want to see. They want to see a good fight. They don’t want to see a boring fight. They paid to see an exciting fight, to see blood. That’s what I do when I fight him. Two times, 24 rounds with ‘The Monster.’ Yeah, the Romanian Monster.
“Stay in touch. I’m coming back on the top, fighting the top guys at 168,” said Gavril.
Caleb Plant challenges WBC interim super middleweight champion David Benavidez tonight in a 12 round main event on Showtime pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The card will start at 9 pm ET.
