In the early hours of Sunday morning IBF super-middleweight champion Caleb Plant will defend his belt against former title holder Caleb Truax at the Shrine Exhibition Centre in Los Angeles.
Undefeated Plant has been linked to a huge fight with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in recent months, but instead steps through the ropes in a bout he is very much expected to win.
The 28-year-old American is 1/100 to successfully defend his title and in doing so, big fights are in the offing this year with the likes of Alvarez and Brit Billy Joe Saunders waiting in the wings for potential unification bouts.
Experienced Truax is a 10/1 outsider and returns to the ring for the first time in 12 months. The 37-year-old Minnesota-based brawler has suffered four defeats in his 37-fight career, his most recent loss being in 2018 in the rematch to James DeGale.
Padded Record for Plant?
There is a school of thought within the world of boxing that IBF holder Plant is yet to step into the ring with anyone near elite level and his undefeated record after 20 professional fights is a padded one.
Scalping season
pic.twitter.com/TpYBNdKKBd
— CalebPlant (@SweetHandsPlant) January 28, 2021
American Mike Lee is the only fighter the 28-year-old has faced carrying an undefeated record, in fact, most of his opposition to date have at least two blemishes on their record.
However, there is no denying the impressive fashion in which Plant has disposed of most of his rivals, bagging 12 knockouts – including two in his last two fights.
The ageing Truax may not last out the 12 rounds here and it is 5/18 that the contest does not go the distance and 5/2 that the judges’ scorecards are needed.
End in Sight for Truax?
Truax shocked the world when taking this very same belt from DeGale back in 2017 on the scorecards, but that is the only notable win on his record by some way and this represents another jump up in class.
He was stopped in the twelfth round by Daniel Jacobs six years ago, in what was Jacobs’ third-ever fight over the championship distance and he was also stopped in the first round by Anthony Dirrell in 2016 after hitting the deck twice.
A win for the champion Plant via KO, TKO or DQ looks the most likely outcome and is on offer at 1/3. It is 5/2 that Truax will taste a third defeat by decision.
Expect Plant to Make a Statement
Eleven of Plant’s wins by knockout or technical knockout have been in the first half of the fight and punters should look to the early rounds for the best possible value on offer in this bout.
The first three rounds grouped are appealing at 11/2, while rounds four, five and six are 3/1.
*All odds correct at time of writing.