Caleb Plant looking to ‘make an example’ of Anthony Dirrell in return

Caleb Plant proved he was on the precipice. 

Now he begins his journey back, and ideally, beyond that mark. 

The 30-year-old, after winning the IBF super middleweight title in 2019 and successfully defending it three times, went toe-to-toe with pound-for-pound great and all-time legend Canelo Alvarez last November for the division’s heralded undisputed title.

He lost via an 11th-round knockout, finally succumbing to an onslaught of Alvarez right hands to his head to deliver his first-career defeat. But despite being behind on all three scorecards at the time of the KO, Plant largely stayed close with Alvarez, landing 101 punches to Alvarez’s 117.

It was the most punches Alvarez faced in any of his super middleweight title bouts, and demonstrated Plant belonged at, or near, that upper echelon of fighters. 

“Even though coming up short, we’re not just looking to put on a good performance, we’re looking to win, but with that being said the type of performance that I put on, against the caliber of opponent that I faced, I feel good about that,” Plant told The Post. “And it lets me know I’m exactly where I need to be, or that I’m on the right path and that I just have to keep working on things, tightening a few things up, and now I have that experience to carry with me into these other big fights.” 

Caleb Plant punches Canelo Alvarez during their bout. Getty Images Canelo Alvarez knocks out Caleb Plant in the 11th round. Getty Images

That newfound experience, Plant stresses, will be paramount in transitioning from that precipice to his desired destination. Despite having multiple title fights under his belt, Plant had not been a part of an event as big as the Alvarez fight, nor had he ever faced that high-quality of an opponent in his career. 

Plant wet his feet on the stage he believes he belongs fighting on, and showed that he can at least hold his own. The next step, however, is shining on that stage. 

“Everything that came with fight week, I’ve headlined multiple Fox cards before, and honestly the obligations weren’t too much more than what I’ve had to deal with in the past, but just fans being there and everything that goes on fight week, and the atmosphere on fight night, just being able to take that with me into other big fights, that’s something that you can’t buy,” Plant said. “I’m glad to have gotten that experience, and just take it forward with me.”

Just over 11 months after his loss to Alvarez, Plant (21-1, 12 KO’s) returns to fight ex-champion Anthony Dirrell (34-2, 25 KO’s) in a super middleweight bout on the Deontay Wilder-Robert Helenius card (9 p.m., Fox PPV) Saturday night at Barclays Center. 

Caleb Plant, left, and Anthony Dirrell speak to the media at a pre-fight press conference. Getty Images

The lead-up to their bout has been overly-contentious, as has started to become common with Plant and his opponents. Plant prefers not to be buddy-buddy with others in the division, and his confident, yet serious demeanor seems to rub others the wrong way, choosing to avoid socializing with other fighters outside the ring or partaking in much of the nightlife they enjoy. 

Ahead of his bout with Alvarez, Plant and Alvarez came to blows during one of their pre-fight press conferences, the two trading punches after Alvarez shoved Plant as the two went face-to-face. Alvarez ended up connecting with Plant, causing a laceration under his eye, and has said he “never had as much bad blood” with any other foe. David Benavidez, who at 26-0 would make a lot of sense to fight Plant next, has publicly made his animosity known. 

Dirrell has on multiple occasions emphasized that he “hates” Plant, not pointing to anything in particular, but instead his general personality. Dirrell said he will “never let this white boy beat me,” injecting race into their matchup, and has announced his desire to hurt Plant nearly every chance he gets. 

“That’s not my mentality or my mindset, I’m not here to kick it and be friends and buddies with everyone else in my weight class,” Plant said. “I’m here to focus on my career, what I need to do to reach what I want to reach and obtain and accomplish. A lot of these boxers, though, they’re going out to the club, they’re out drinking with each other, doing this with each other, and that with each other, and it’s not really the life I live.

“I don’t hate the dude. I don’t know him enough to hate him. Why he says that about me, you’ll have to ask him that. I can’t tell you why somebody else hates me, but he doesn’t know me personally enough to hate me, he doesn’t know about me, I’ve never kicked it with him, hung out with him, nor would I, so I don’t know what his deal is. But if he thinks he hates me now, he’s really gonna hate me on October 15th. He can have a bad mood all he wants, he can be a crybaby, and whine and bitch and all that, but this ain’t a therapy session, you know what I’m saying? I don’t care about that, I’m here to fight.” 

Caleb Plant AFP via Getty Images

With a win, Plant likely would turn his eyes to Benavidez or current WBC middleweight champion Jermall Charlo, who would have to move up in weight for the bout.

But Plant, nicknamed “Sweet Hands,” more importantly has his eyes set on earning a rematch with Alvarez, and returning to the stage he knows he belongs on. 

“I’m not just looking to win October 15th, but win in fashion, and really make a statement. And really make an example out of him, with all the things that he’s said and the ways he feels about me, or bringing up the skin color or race or this and that, I’m gonna make an example out of him, and move onto bigger and better fights.

“I definitely think you guys have yet to see the best Caleb Plant. I have less fights than anyone in the super middleweight division at the top, but besides Canelo, especially after this fight, I’m gonna have the best resume out of all of them. Whether it be Charlo or Benavidez. Or any other top guy. I’m stepping up before they stepped up, I’m doing things that they weren’t doing when they had the same amount of fights as me, so I feel like you guys have yet to see the best me, and I think I can show y’all better than I can tell you.”