Armando Reséndiz says he’s going to showcase the new skills that he’s learned since his last fight to unseat interim WBA super middleweight champion Caleb Plant this Saturday, May 31st, in their headliner at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
Plant, 31, is being criticized by fans for his frequent inactivity and repeated tune-ups after long breaks. He’s a typical millionaire boxer. Once they become rich, they stop fighting often and go on the tune-up circuit or wait for another big payday to fall into their laps.
Armando is in the perfect situation to pull off an upset by going after Plant early the way his last opponent, Trevor McCumby, did, and put him under fire before he’s gotten a chance to warm up. Plant was in serious trouble early on against McCumby.
Reséndiz Aims for Upset
His career has slowed since Caleb’s massive $10 million payday against Canelo Alvarez in 2021. He has fought just three times in the last four years, and his work ethic has disappeared since that fight.
Resendiz (15-2, 11 KOs) is an underdog in this contest, and he’s being brought in for tune-up purposes to help Plant (23-2, 14 KOs) sharpen up for a possible fight against Jermall Charlo this year. The youth, toughness, and power of Armando give him a shot at pulling off an upset of Caleb. When a fighter becomes a part-time soldier, they’re vulnerable.
The 26-year-old Resendiz doesn’t see himself as a tune-up, and he’s ready to defeat ‘Sweethands’ Plant to put himself in position for a title shot against the winner of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight. That’s the fight that Plant is ramping up for.
Saturday’s Plant-Resendiz event will be live on PBC Championship Boxing on Prime Video. On the undercard, Jermall faces Thomas LaManna in the chief support bout scheduled for 10 rounds.
“I was a rookie when I was sparring, and what happened in those training sessions don’t reflect the fighter I am today,” said Armando Reséndiz to the media about his sparring with Caleb Plant in the past.
Plant’s Post-Canelo Decline
Resendiz didn’t say how long ago the sparring sessions were with Plant. If it was more than three years ago, it doesn’t matter. The Tennessee native isn’t the same fighter he once was. The punishing losses to David Benavidez and Canelo took the best out of Sweethands. He’s now just getting by with matchmaking that keeps him glued together. Without the soft touches that Caleb has been fighting, he’d fall apart and be food for the young sharks at 168.
“I understand he may have his pride, and that’s why he may feel that way. He doesn’t want someone from a different tier to come up and beat him. At the same time, if I do beat him, it doesn’t take away from any of the great things he has done in his career,” said Resendiz about ‘Sweethands’ Plant.
It will be interesting to see how Plant handles losing to Resendiz on Saturday if this fight turns sour for him. Obviously, this guy was well-chosen to ensure Plant wouldn’t lose, but I have a feeling that the youth and hunger of Resendiz will be too much for him. Caleb is fighting for the wrong reasons now. He’s hungry for another Canelo fight, and that’s the wrong approach to have.
“I’m excited for this opportunity that has come my way. I’ve worked on my defense and other aspects of my game that I’m going to showcase on May 31st,” said Resendiz. “A win puts me in a position to fight for a world title. I’ve worked too hard and come too far to let this moment slip away,” said Resendiz.
Last Updated on 05/26/2025
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