Boxing
David Benavidez v Caleb Plant preview: Two super middleweights battle for title bout with Canelo Alvarez
Two former world champions – now number two and three in the world super middleweight rankings – clash on Saturday night in Las Vegas, with Canelo Alvarez waiting in the wings to take on the champion.
We preview the action below.
Unbeaten Benavidez heavy favourite
The unbeaten David Benavidez goes into this bout with his 26-0 record under threat, but not so much that he will be holding his breath. He’ll be confident in his own ability and this fight will be no exception, with odds of 3/10 for the American to extend is unbeaten run.
Considered to be one of the quickest fighters in the division, backed up with strength and laser focus, Benavidez is a force to be reckoned with and has only not won via knockout three times, claiming two titles in the process.
Stripped of his world title for testing positive for cocaine and then again for failing to reach the required weight, Benavidez has had his fair share of difficulties, but the Mexican Monster looks to be on an upward curve once again and is one fight away from a blockbuster bout with world champion Canelo Alvarez.
Benavidez’s power and height advantage should see him dominate the early rounds as he pushes for the knockout, and he is well-backed to get it. At 8/13 to win by KO TKO or DQ, it looks as if Benavidez will close this one out inside the regulated time.
The best value will likely come from which round he will deal the finishing blow. His opponent is strong, so don’t expect it to be early. The Mexican to take the victory in the 10th – 12th round looks an attractive offer at 10/3.
Points best chance for Plant
While Caleb Plant is a great boxer in his own right and easily worth the title shot with Canelo Alvarez, only one fighter can win here, and Plant is the one with the black mark on his record.
While it is singular, it is critical. Plant has only lost one fight in his professional career, winning 22 with 13 knockouts, but that loss came against the man now holding all the belts. Plant lost his IBF title to Alvarez in 2021 via a TKO and consequently finds himself as the underdog to claim a shot at getting it back.
He is the shorter man in this bout and is given odds of 5/2 to take the win. He will have suffered when he lost his title back in 2021, with losses at that level will take their toll mentally, and though he will still supply a challenge for the man 26-0, we predict him to struggle in this one.
He won’t be a walkover and has a chance of winning via decision or technical decision at 9/2 but will have to last the distance against a very strong fighter who he will struggle to endanger psychically, with his assets more suited to a technical approach.
There is every chance he could find his top level once more and really challenge the unbeaten man, but the best result we can see him achieving is a draw at 12/1, one for the bold punters.
