It’s hard to remain focused on
Thomas LaManna when everyone's focus is on
Caleb Plant.
Looking past an opponent can lead to defeat or at least a bad performance, so
Jermall Charlo remains locked in on
their showdown Saturday night at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. But while he won't look past the fringe contender, he's looking through him.
Provided he prevails against LaManna and Plant does the business against Jose Armando Resendiz in the 10-round main event, the pair will look to finally bury the hachet later this year. To say they have unfinished business would be putting it lightly.
At the Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence weigh-in in July 2023, Charlo and Plant argued during a backstage setting with the latter disrespected by Charlo's behavior. It resulted in Plant slapping him across the face and the headlines wrote themselves that weekend.
The Houston native didn't rush Plant, instead shaking his head and walking away calmly as security led them in different directions. Two years later, though, he gets angry when that night replays in his mind. There's nothing he can do to erase that memory, but can make a new one by beating Plant in the ring.
If they fight, Charlo plans on adopting an aggressive approach with pressure from the beginning. The 35-year-old knows Plant will hit him, and while an unwanted slap remains in his memory, he'll use that reminder to gauge his power — or perceived lack thereof.
"He snuck me, he ain't drop me," Charlo told a group of reporters. "He don't hit hard. I don't think Caleb Plant is some one-punch knockout artist. Me, I done showed y'all that. He's a boxer, a slick boxer."
Some of Plant's previous opponents, especially Anthony Dirrell, would disagree with Charlo. The former IBF super middleweight champion has placed plenty of faces on the canvas and will do his best to continue that trend.
Currently, few are as hot as the 32-year-old. But while he's certainly in a groove and hard to beat, Charlo can't wait for an opportunity to test his skills against him.
"Me and Caleb Plant gonna fight next."