Caleb Plant has acknowledged the planned scheduling of his next fight alongside rival Jermall Charlo, but insists his sole focus is on Jose Armando Resendiz. He is determined to handle his business in the ring on May 31st.
In a video interview with Mauro Ranallo and Abner Mares during the Tim Tszyu-Joey Spencer broadcast on Amazon Prime, Plant addressed the incident with Charlo at the Spence-Crawford weigh-in in 2023, where Charlo grabbed his beard. Plant stated this action crossed a line and he is now prepared to confront Charlo after both fighters secure victories in their separate Las Vegas matches.
“I`ve explained it a few times in interviews, but essentially, he thought he could intimidate me by pulling on my beard. I pushed him away and told him to stop,” Plant recounted regarding the altercation.
“His response was to do it again. I believe it`s unacceptable to allow someone to physically touch you whenever they please. For me, that`s off-limits. It`s unfortunate, and I`m not boasting or trying to appear tough, but I will defend myself if someone acts aggressively towards me. The simultaneous fight dates [with Charlo facing Thomas LaManna] are no coincidence. Hopefully, he wins his fight, and we can settle our differences later in the year. However, my current priority is my fight. I`m not concerned with Charlo or any other super middleweight. My focus is on winning my upcoming bout.”
Plant agreed with Abner Mares` point that overlooking an immediate opponent for a potentially bigger fight is a common mistake leading to defeat. His immediate goal is to deal with Resendiz decisively, similar to his victory over Trevor McCumby in their previous fight.
In their September match, Plant recovered from a knockdown, adapted his strategy, and secured a ninth-round stoppage against the previously undefeated McCumby. This victory marked Plant`s 14th stoppage and provided valuable insights into his resilience and strength.
“Every fight presents a unique challenge. The experience from the McCumby fight, including the knockdown and a questionable knockdown call in round four, served as a crucial reminder to remain composed and focused throughout a fight, regardless of setbacks or successes. We stayed committed to the game plan, made quick adjustments, and ultimately achieved a positive outcome.”
Further adjustments will be necessary for his upcoming fight against Resendiz, a determined Mexican fighter. Plant acknowledges Resendiz as a “tough Latino fighter coming to win.” While Resendiz has shown promise, Plant believes his own experience is on a different level.
“I know he will bring intensity. He has some notable fights, including a win against Jarrett Hurd, and a competitive fight with Elijah Garcia. He has since moved up to super-middleweight and is currently ranked in the top 15. I am eager for the fight to begin and to perform at my best.”
As a former champion who has only lost to Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez, 2025 is a potentially significant year for Plant. He reiterated to Ranallo that his approach is to focus on one fight at a time.
“I simply need to secure a dominant win against Armando Resendiz. Then, hopefully, later this year, Charlo and I can finally settle our differences,” Plant confirmed.
