Canelo vs Plant LIVE: Result and latest reaction to undisputed world title fight
The Mexican finished the fight in the 11th round to become the sport’s first undisputed world super-middleweight champion
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Canelo Alvarez became the first undisputed four-belt super middleweight world champion in boxing history Saturday night, stopping Caleb Plant in the 11th round with two dramatic knockdowns.
Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs) added Plant’s IBF title to his own WBC, WBA and WBO belts with a steady tactical performance culminating in a brilliant display of his vaunted power to finish the previously unbeaten Plant at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
The Mexican superstar generally recognized as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world became the sixth man to be a four-belt champion, and he joined junior welterweight Josh Taylor as the only current undisputed champs of their weight class.
After stopping three of his previous four opponents, Alvarez had to grind through a difficult matchup with the tenacious Plant (21-1), who usually moved backward and worked behind his jab to stay away from Canelo‘s power.
Alvarez remained persistent and racked up a volume of quality punches — and in the opening seconds of the 11th round, he sent Plant crashing to the canvas with a vicious combination followed by an uppercut while Plant tried to duck away.
Plant got up unsteadily, and Alvarez dropped him again with two big right hands, forcing referee Russell Mora to end it.
Plant is a sturdy champion and an inspirational athlete who overcame numerous personal tragedies to earn a shot at the pound-for-pound champ, but the Tennessee native found out just how big the gap remains between Canelo and his contemporaries.
Alvarez is the first Mexican fighter to reign undisputed atop a division, and every flag-waving fan in the vehemently pro-Canelo sellout crowd of 16,586 seemed aware of the achievement. The champion, a Guadalajara native, spoke frequently before the fight of his determination to achieve the feat both for himself and for Mexico.
Alvarez extended the most successful active career in boxing with his eighth consecutive victory in just over three years. He hasn’t lost in 16 fights since dropping a majority decision to Floyd Mayweather in 2013, with only a draw against Gennady Golovkin blemishing his record.
Alvarez and Plant had no personal animus until September, when Alvarez took offense to an insult from Plant during a news conference in Beverly Hills to promote the bout. Alvarez and Plant briefly scrapped, leaving Plant with a cut on his face and a new avenue of motivation.
Plant opened the biggest bout of his career with a solid game plan, tapping Alvarez with a solid jab and moving away from his opponent’s superior power, frequently using a shoulder roll to avoid trouble. Alvarez steadily walked down Plant and did damage in the fourth, backing him against the ropes and letting combinations fly.
Alvarez showed little fear of Plant’s punches, and he got even less heedful as the bout progressed. Alvarez gradually landed more effectively in the middle rounds, moving Plant backward and even daring the cautious Plant to hit him in the seventh.
Boxing gets frequent, deserved criticism as an institution for the promoter rivalries and fractious sanctioning bodies that prevent the best fighters from meeting each other far too often. But Alvarez used his star power to join an elite club by winning all four major belts.
Only five men had ever achieved four-belt undisputed champion status since the feat became possible with the WBO’s advent: middleweights Bernard Hopkins and Jermain Taylor, junior welterweights Terence Crawford and Taylor, and cruiserweight Oleksandr Usyk.
Taylor achieved the feat in May by beating Jose Ramirez. His first simultaneous defense of all four belts is scheduled for February in Glasgow against Jack Catterall.
In the co-main event, super middleweight veteran Anthony Dirrell earned his first win in nearly three years by stopping Marcos Hernandez in the opening moments of the fourth round with a vicious uppercut. The 37-year-old Dirrell celebrated with a standing backflip.
Canelo vs Plant: Round 4
Can Plant land something that catches Canelo’s respect? He needs to be able to hurt the Mexican.
15 jabs to just one from Alvarez so far for the American after three rounds.
Good attack to the body from Alvarez, Plant shakes his head. But a crack in the armour.
Big left hook from Canelo, his best shot of the fight.
Plant took it well, another close round.
Canelo vs Plant: Round 3
Good feet from Plant to start the third, moving off the ropes nicely too.
Canelo now bobbing and weaving his way in.
Good jab again from Plant. It’s all the left for now.
Canelo narrowly misses after loading up the right. Uppercut from Canelo now.
But the jab from the waist by Plant is effective. Canelo not close to being hurt yet, but he might have nicked two of the first three rounds.
Canelo vs Plant: Round 2
A scouting mission from Canelo, can he land with more venom here?
Canelo crouching low and trying to come under the Plant jab.
Plant unable to land the right yet.
Pop, pop, pop, Canelo feels that jab from Plant.
A digging right from Canelo at the end, but Plant moving nicely bar a few moments trapped on the ropes.
Canelo vs Plant: Round 1
Plant spinning away on the back foot with boxing’s golden boy in golden trunks stalking his opponent.
A good opener from the American, Canelo unable to land anything but on the front foot.
1-0 to the American?
Canelo vs Plant
Here we go, then!
Canelo into the ring, Plant looking a little nervous now.
The Mexican superstar aims to create yet more history, can the American hold him back at all?
Canelo vs Plant: Mike Tyson in attendance!
Canelo vs Plant undercard: Dirrell vs Hernandez
Dirrell will want to face Canelo or Plant next. That’s a bit much for my liking, but he’s back in the mix and a player at 168 pounds.
On the verge of breaking back into the top 10 you would say. Realistic options? Jesse Hart or David Lemieux maybe?
Canelo vs Plant undercard: Dirrell vs Hernandez
WOW! BANG!
Dirrell with a beauty, the right clatters into the chin of Hernandez.
Down he goes, he struggles up but it’s waved off. A stunner!
Canelo vs Plant undercard: Dirrell vs Hernandez
Plant with the gloves on, shadow boxing, a shine on his face as he works up a sweat.
Back to Dirrell vs Hernandez, into the third, it’s an even bout so far: Dirrell with 26 punches landed (30 per cent connection rate) and Hernandez with 23 (26 per cent connection rate) after two.
Hernandez being allowed to trade up, which is surely his type of fight.
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