A decisive showdown for the WBA interim title

By Moses Ochieng

Plant and McCumby will face each other in a 12-round fight for the interim WBA super middleweight title. This fight is part of the PPV event titled Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga, which will take place on September 14th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Former IBF super middleweight champion Plant (22-2, 13 KOs) appeared unsure as he delivered a seemingly rehearsed speech at the press conference, attempting to bolster his credibility with words rather than actions, following his losses to elite opponents David Benavidez and Canelo Alvarez over the past three years.

Plant, 32, returns to the ring after an 18-month layoff and a 12-round loss in his last fight against David Benavidez in March 2023. Meanwhile, McCumby (28-0, 21 KOs), who made his comeback last year after a five-year absence, enters the fight on a three-fight winning streak.

At the final press conference before Saturday night’s showdown at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Caleb Plant firmly declared that he is “not a bum” but a “real fighter” as he prepares to face undefeated Trevor McCumby.

“Trevor himself knows I’m not a bum, and that’s why he wants to fight me. He wants to get on the big stage, and that means he has to face a real fighter. He’s only fought bums, but now he’s not fighting a bum. I’m getting that belt around my waist on Saturday night. I’m not looking beyond that,” Caleb Plant said in the press conference.

McCumby, 31, was chosen by Plant for good reason. If Plant believed McCumby was too much of a threat, he likely would have skipped the fight and opted for an easier-to-hit opponent. At 32, Plant is clearly past his prime and vulnerable to top challengers, but it’s still uncertain whether McCumby has what it takes to capitalize and beat him.

“Caleb is emotional and lets people get into his head too easily. On Saturday you will see what I can do in the ring. You have to be prepared because this is going to steal the show,” Trevor McCumby commented about Plant.

This is a crucial point in McCumby’s 14-year career where he has the opportunity to prove he belongs among the elite fighters. A win for McCumby could potentially be the decisive blow to Plant’s career and indicate that it is time for him to hang up the gloves.