Saturday night at Michelob Ultra Arena, Jose Armando Resendiz steps up from middleweight determined to break down interim WBA super-middleweight titleholder Caleb “Sweethands” Plant and shake up the 168-lb picture.
Resendiz knows the blueprint: pressure early, take away Plant’s rhythm, and drag the Nashville stylist into a dogfight, the formula David Benavidez used to overwhelm Plant last year. “Plant is an elite name, but you can talk tough only until the bell rings,” the 27-year-old said. “Inside the ropes I’ll prove I can disarm everything he brings.”
What makes Caleb Plant so special? Watch
Plant insists his recent inside-fighting knockout of Trevor McCumby shows new dimensions, yet critics note he is just 2-2 in his last four and still vulnerable under sustained fire. A dominant win keeps him on course for a summer grudge match with Jermall Charlo and, he hopes, a lucrative Canelo rematch down the line. A stumble, however, would torch those plans.
Resendiz, six years younger and carrying less mileage, has nothing to lose and a gas tank built for a high-output war. “I believe in my work,” he said. “If I pressure him, stay on his chest, he’ll fade. That’s when I take over.”
Watch Resendiz vs. Plant event.
Image Credit: PBC