Armando Resendiz’s career could completely change May 31 if he upsets
Caleb Plant.
That’s the reason the determined Mexican accepted an offer to oppose Plant in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions show that will be streamed by Amazon’s Prime Video. Resendiz needed to move up eight pounds — from the middleweight maximum of 160 pounds to super middleweight — but the 26-year-old contender couldn’t pass up facing a former IBF champion who has only lost to undisputed super middleweight champ
Canelo Alvarez and WBC light heavyweight champ
David Benavidez.
Plant plans to fight Jermall Charlo next, though, thus he is well aware Resendiz could ruin what would be a much more marketable fight for him later this year. DraftKings lists Plant (23-2, 14 KOs) as a 20-1 favorite over Resendiz (15-2, 11 KOs) and Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) as a 14-1 favorite to defeat Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna (39-5-1, 18 KOs) in the co-feature.
A mindful Plant has occupied Resendiz’s position and understands how dangerous he’ll be at Mandalay Bay Resort Casino’s Michelob Ultra Arena.
“He’s tough,” Plant told
The Ring. “He’s coming to fight. This is a big moment for him, with a lot on the line, an opportunity to get a big win under his belt. So, that has to be taken seriously.
“As usual, I’m not cutting no corners in my training. Sparring’s been hard, it’s been tough. Training’s been tough, it’s been good. And I’m ready to put on a show May 31st.”
Plant, 32, of Henderson, Nevada, will fight for just the second since Benavidez beat him by unanimous decision in March 2023 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The Ashland City, Tennessee, native needed to get off the canvas in the fourth round to win his most recent fight — a ninth-round stoppage of Trevor McCumby (28-1, 21 KOs) on Sept. 14 at T-Mobile Arena. Plant has focused on trying to remain as sharp as possible since he beat McCumby because he wasn’t certain how long it would take for him to secure another fight.
“There probably ain’t one fighter in boxing who don’t wanna fight more,” Plant said. “So, I’m focused on what I can control. You know, I can sit around and complain or moan and bitch. Or I can go out and go to physical therapy and make sure I’m with my massage therapist and my sports psychologist and making sure I’m on my nutrition and on my drinking — drinking my water — and going to bed early doing everything I’m supposed to be doing.
“Control the things you can control. How you show up to work, what type of attitude you got? Are you taking three steps [forward] in the gym and five steps [backward] out of the gym, because you’re not living the right life? ... Put your best foot forward and everything else will work out.”
Keith Idec is a senior writer and columnist for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing