For the second occasion in a single month, two boxers expected to face each other later in the year competed on the same fight card, but in separate contests. In a familiar narrative, the fighter participating in the co-main event successfully handled his business, while the main event saw a significant underdog pull off an upset victory.
The original plan was for Caleb Plant and Jermall Charlo to meet in a highly anticipated bout later this year, provided they both secured wins against their respective opponents on Saturday night at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
The roots of their rivalry trace back to a 2023 incident backstage during the weigh-in for Terence Crawford vs. Errol Spence. Video footage showed Plant slapping Charlo, which Plant claimed was a reaction to the former champion disrespecting him by grabbing his beard. Both fighters had openly expressed a desire to settle their differences in the ring. Interestingly, any concerns about the potential fight falling through had typically focused on Charlo`s activity level.
Charlo (34-0, 23 KOs) made a successful return after an 18-month absence, defeating Thomas LaManna via sixth-round TKO. However, the script was flipped in the other fight as Jose Armando Resendiz delivered a major upset, defeating Caleb Plant (23-3, 14 KOs) by split decision to claim the WBA interim super middleweight title. This unexpected turn of events eerily mirrored the May 2 card in Times Square, where Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney fought separately with plans for a rematch. On that night, Haney won his bout, but the heavily favored Garcia was upset by Rolando `Rolly` Romero.
How did this scenario repeat itself?
Perhaps the focus was on the wrong fighter exhibiting vulnerability.
In the lead-up to his comeback fight against LaManna, all eyes were on Charlo. The former two-division champion had been relatively inactive since 2021 due to injuries and legal issues. His previous performance against an undersized Jose Benavidez Jr. in November 2023 didn`t showcase the form of the fringe pound-for-pound contender who had successfully defended his WBC middleweight title five times. While LaManna wasn`t seen as a major threat, he possessed enough skill to capitalize if Charlo wasn`t fully prepared. Instead, the 35-year-old Charlo looked sharp, utilizing a strong jab effectively and following up quickly with his right hand to break down his opponent. Charlo dropped LaManna three times before the ringside physician halted the fight at the start of the sixth round. The performance clearly boosted Charlo`s confidence, and he got some valuable rounds before the early finish.
“I`m just looking to stay well-known and relevant,” Charlo stated after outlanding LaManna significantly.
Caleb Plant`s path to the Charlo fight was expected to be less challenging, with his only prior losses coming against elite fighters David Benavidez and Canelo Alvarez. Few considered the potential lingering effects of those tough defeats on Plant, while almost completely overlooking the capabilities of Resendiz. Before facing Plant, Resendiz (16-2, 11 KOs) had primarily campaigned as a middleweight. His most notable wins were against a declining Jarrett Hurd, and he had suffered losses to Elijah Garcia and the less-regarded Marcos Hernandez. But the 26-year-old Resendiz fought intelligently, applying smart pressure and simply outworking the former champion.
“I didn`t really worry about what people say. I knew I was going to win,” Resendiz commented post-fight. “I didn`t worry at all, knew it was going to be a tough fight and we gave them a great fight. … I`m ready to fight anyone.”
The early rounds were competitive, with Plant landing jabs and Resendiz alternating between counterpunching and aggression. However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the final seconds of the sixth round when Resendiz visibly hurt Plant with right hands. Plant never fully recovered, and one judge scored the last six rounds entirely for Resendiz. Although the official result was a split decision, there was little doubt about the winner, as CompuBox statistics showed Resendiz outlanding Plant 186 to 108 in total punches.
Following the loss, Plant attributed his performance issues to an injured hand. Regardless, he now faces a setback and must reassess his options after going 2-3 in his last five outings.
Much like the potential rematch between Haney and Garcia was impacted, Plant`s loss was anticipated to dampen fan interest in a fight with Charlo. However, Charlo still expresses strong interest in the matchup. He stated he has no desire to fight Resendiz and would prefer to face Plant, regardless of Saturday`s outcome.
“I`m not here to bash nobody or talk down on nobody, but Caleb Plant dropped the ball on this one,” said Charlo. “I still want my lick back. I don`t care if he got the belt or not. We can make a belt. They can make a belt. Somebody make a belt. I want my lick back.”
Plant also indicated he would prefer the fight with Charlo rather than immediately activating a rematch clause with Resendiz.
“I`d go right to the Charlo fight, but we got a rematch clause. I`m more than willing to run it right back,” Plant stated.
Presently, it appears Plant will require some recovery time. He is also expecting a child in the coming weeks and should carefully consider his options before committing to his next step. At 32, Plant might be entering the later stage of his career. Against Resendiz, his timing and reflexes seemed off. Was he looking past Resendiz? Possibly. However, the fight`s progression showed Plant was in a tough battle as early as the third round. He didn`t manage to change the fight`s direction as it slipped away, which could suggest less about his desire and more about a potential decline in physical capability. His two wins since being stopped by Canelo in 2021 were against a faded Anthony Dirrell and the tough but athletically limited Trevor McCumby. Resendiz was younger and clearly displayed more urgency.
The outcome of Plant vs. Resendiz may lead Premier Boxing Champions to postpone the Plant-Charlo matchup and instead push for an immediate rematch between Plant and Resendiz. A Charlo-Plant fight will need renewed momentum before the rivalry can be reignited. Plant needs to secure a win to rebuild his standing before getting another shot at the undefeated Charlo. Additionally, Charlo would benefit from facing a legitimate top-10 opponent in the super middleweight division to truly gauge his current form.
Ultimately, after witnessing the events in Times Square and Las Vegas, one has to question the strategy of putting two fighters intended to meet later on the same card in separate warm-up bouts. If the plan is for them to fight eventually, why introduce the risk of an upset beforehand?