Caleb Plant, former IBF super middleweight Champion’, reportedly be returning to the ring next month against unbeaten fringe contender Trevor McCumby in a headliner on August 17th at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.
This would be a non-PPV event staged by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC). The potential chief support bout is former WBC/WBO bantamweight Champion’ Stephen Fulton fighting Ronny Rios.
Plant Seeks to Revitalize His Career
Plant (22-2, 13 KOs) has two out of his last three fights, and he needs a tune-up now to get his career moving again. He was beaten by David Benavidez by a twelve round unanimous in his last fight on November 25, 2023, and didn’t look impressive down these stretch in that contest.
Ranked #8 WBC and #10 WBA, Plant hasn’t won a fight in two years since stopping Anthony Dirrell in the ninth round on October 15, 2022. That was a long time for Plant to go between wins, and it’s important that he get some victories under his belt.
More importantly, Plant needs to be more active than he’s been because he’s fought just once a year in the last two years, which isn’t nearly enough for a non-PPV fighter. Plant lost his IBF title three years ago to Canelo Alvarez, getting stopped in the eleventh round on November 6, 2021.
McCumby’s Golden Opportunity
The 31-year-old Trevor McCumby (28-0, 21 KOs) is ranked #11 WBA, and has been facing obscure opposition during 14-year pro career. This will be his big chance to knock off a name-fighter, Plant, and if he can do that, he’ll get moved up the rankings at 158.
Plant can’t afford to get beaten by this level of opponent because he’s already slid down the rankings due to his 1-2 record in his last three fights. It’s possible he would have beaten again if he’d fought Christian Mbilli in 2022 instead of then 37-year-old past his best Anthony Dirrell.
Stephen Fulton Makes His Comeback
Former unified super bantamweight Champion’ Stephen Fulton (21-1, 8 KOs) hasn’t fought since being knocked out in the eighth round by Japanese star, Naoya Inoue on July 25th, 2023 in Tokyo. Fulton was completely overmatched against Inoue, and destroyed in a one-sided fight.
The money had to have been good for the 29-year-old Fulton because he’s been sitting for an entire year since that loss. For a fighter to stay inactive that long, it suggests the payday was nice.
Fulton’s opponent, 34-year-old Ronny Rios (34-4, 17 KOs) is a 16-year pro, who was recently knocked out in the 12th round by Murodjon Akhmadaliev on June 25, 2022. This is a tune-up fight for Fulton to prepare him to take on the talented opposition again.
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