A funny thing happened on the way to the long-over-marinated grudge match between Jermall Charlo and Caleb Plant. What was supposed to be a perfunctory exercise for Plant after Charlo had taken care of business against Thomas LaManna, became a real problem.
Armando Resendiz didn't read the script. He didn't think it was a damn show.
After a decent beginning to this contest at the Michelob Ultra Arena at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, where he won the first two rounds, Plant was struck by a sweeping right hand in the third that got his attention. Then at the end of the sixth, a series of shots stunned Plant. While the fight was probably deadlocked after six rounds, it was clear that the momentum had swung in the underdogs direction.
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The slick boxing Plant has a pattern of boxing well in early rounds and then fading against pressure at the world class level. That had been the case against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, and then David Benavidez. But certainly that wouldn't happen versus Resendiz, right?
Well, from the sixth to the 12th, it was 'Young Mario Lopez' (shout out to Brian Campbell) who just steadily came forward and chipped away at Plant with chopping right hands to the body and punches over the top that had the heavily favored Plant retreating. Outside a close 11th frame, Resendiz was in complete control of the second half of this contest.
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As he laid one more barrage on Plant to end the contest, it was clear who had won this fight. The only question is would the business of boxing allow it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xejz9UKIXis
While David Sutherland (115-113) somehow had it for Plant (and shame on him), fortunately, Max DeLuca and Steve Weisfeld actually saw the fight that had unfolded in front of them. They both had it 116-112 for Resendiz. But lets make this clear, this was a resounding decision. This was a 'split' in name only.
There will be a lot of speculation about the downfall of Plant (22-3, 14 KOs), did he die on the vine as a boxer? After all, since his 2021 loss to 'Canelo', Plant has fought just once-a-year from that juncture. Like a Josh Taylor, did his blade become dull? At age 32, did he lose a bit in terms of reflexes and quickness? Inactivity has probably hurt fighters more this generation than left hooks.
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Plant stated at the post-fight press conference that he had a rematch clause.
All that stuff can be figured out later, but more of the focus should be on the guy who won the fight and the man who led him to victory, Manny Robles. This is a trainer who is no stranger to pulling upsets. Back in 2019 he cornered Andy Ruiz's monumental victory over Anthony Joshua. Last summer, Serhii Bohachuk pushed Vergil Ortiz Jr. to the brink in one of the best fights of 2024, and earlier this year, Terrell Gausha, got shafted in a horrible verdict against Elijah Garcia.
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Much like an Ismael Salas, you see Robles in an opposite corner, and you just might see a favored fighter fall.
Robles told SNAC.com on Saturday night that the plan was to, "take (Plant) into deep water, he tends to fade in the later rounds. So that's what we did. Go to the body, slow him and then finish strong."
Resendiz was a prohibitive underdog, there aren't many -- if any -- who called for this upset. Robles understood the assignment in front of them. It was during camp that he started to believe they could win this bout. "I had great sparring, I forgot his name. It's a kid out of Vegas, 168 pounds, he fought on the card tonight as a matter of fact. A very good kid, an African-American kid. He's very good, we brought him over and saw what 'Toro' did to him."
Looking at Boxrec, Robles is probably referring to John Easter, who improved to 9-0 (7 KOs) as he scored a six round decision over Andres Martinez. He and Gausha provided the bulk of the sparring for Resendiz this camp.
"I saw his demeanor, at the start of camp I wasn't too happy with what I was seeing. But as camp went on this guy made me believe. I thought, 'I think we have a chance,''' said Robles, who lives by the philosophy taught to him by Rudy Hernandez: Hope for the best, and you prepare for the worst.
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As for a possible rematch, Robles said there will be time to think about that a bit later. But he did state, "I think you'll see a better (Resendiz) in the next one."
For Robles, moments like these are priceless.
''Yeah, absolutely. Especially when you're on the B-side and you're not supposed to win. Just recently with Terrell and Elijah Garcia, that's a fight we clearly won and we got screwed," said Robles, who admitted that his heart sunk a bit as he heard 'split decision' being uttered. "So again, today it wouldn't have surprised me if the judges would've given it to Caleb because it keeps happening. It's got to stop but luckily, fortunately, for us they made the right call.
"It wasn't unanimous, but hey, it is what it is. We'll take the win."
