Caleb Plant On Trevor McCumby: ‘This Is His Moment But It’s His First And Last Moment’
Caleb Plant says he is taking Trevor McCumby seriously but warned his upcoming opponent to enjoy the moment because it will be his “first and last” on such a big stage.
Plant (22-2-0 13 KO) faces McCumby (28-0-0 21 KO) in a non-title super-middleweight bout next Saturday at T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on the undercard of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s unified title defense against Edgar Berlanga.
Plant, a former IBF world champion, is fully accustomed to the bright lights of a Vegas fight night having fought six times in the city, including two world title fights – the most recent being the undisputed showdown against Canelo in November 2021.
McCumby, on the other hand, may be unbeaten but his 28-fight record lacks top-tier opponents and he’s never been involved in an event of this magnitude. While there is a clear gulf in their respective experience at the top end of the sport, Plant insists he will not be anything less than fully focused on McCumby.
“This is his moment, but it’s his first and last moment,” Plant, 32, told BoxingScene. “I’m excited to face him because he’s an undefeated fighter, and all fighters who are in front of you should be taken seriously. This is his big chance, and he has a lot riding on it. It would be a shame for me to let the opportunity slip.
“I’ve seen some tape on him. He’s a spunky guy,” the Nashville native added. “It’s his first fight stepping up to the big stage. He seemed a little nervous [during our faceoff]. There was a stuttering-type vibe in his voice. It will be interesting to see what kind of energy he brings to the fight.”
Plant enters the bout following a second defeat in his past three fights having fallen short in a points loss to the supremely gifted David Benavidez in December. A win over veteran Anthony Dirrell in November 2022 came in between the losses to Canelo and Benavidez.
Plant is aware that he will need to deliver a statement victory if he wants to return to the 168lbs world title picture – and that’s exactly what he plans to do.
“It’s not about getting in some rounds or knocking him out early,” said Plant. “I’m going to do my best to stick to the game plan. But I don’t see this fight going the distance. The super middleweight division is still hot. There are a lot of names being floated around. I feel like I’m in a good spot.”
Given his past affinity with the IBF, Plant will no doubt be keeping a close eye on events on October 19 when the top-two contenders William Scull and Vladimir Shishkin battle for the vacant belt.
Plant won the IBF belt in January 2019 by beating Jose Uzcategui on points and made three successful defenses before running into Canelo, who beat him with an 11th-round stoppage following a competitive bout.
