Were you among those who felt Canelo Alvarez’s May 3rd fight was more snooze-fest than showstopper? On a weekend when fans expected fireworks for Cinco de Mayo, especially with it being Canelo’s first bout under his blockbuster four-fight deal with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, the action fell flat. According to CompuBox, the fight set an unfortunate record: just 445 total punches thrown between both fighters, the lowest ever recorded in a 12-round bout in the company’s 40-year history. As a result, many felt the fight lacked intensity, and while Canelo’s legacy remains intact, questions around his credibility have grown louder. Now, another voice has joined the chorus—Caleb Plant.

Back in 2021, having tasted an 11th-round TKO loss against Canelo Alvarez, Caleb Plant knows firsthand what it’s like to face the Mexican superstar. That first career defeat took nearly a year to bounce back from, but Plant returned with a statement by knocking out Anthony Dirrell in the 9th round. However, another setback followed with a loss to David Benavidez in 2023. And now, after a strong comeback win over Trevor McCumby in September 2024, Plant is set to face Jose Armando Resendiz on May 31st at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. And it’s during the official launch event in Los Angeles that Plant explained his view of Canelo’s last fight.

Déjà vu or breakthrough for Caleb Plant?

In a conversation with Fight Hub TV, when Plant was asked if he thought it was the same Canelo that fought him that fought Scull last Saturday, Plant replied, “No, I don’t think it’s the same Canelo. Not quite.” He pointed to Canelo’s previous comments about disliking fighters who move a lot—something Scull, with his Cuban style, was expected to do. Caleb Plant said he “was curious to see how Canelo would handle that” and gave him credit for cutting off the ring well. Still, he felt Scull didn’t really come to fight, calling it a less “appetizing” matchup overall. “But still got that fight in September with him and Crawford, so we’ll see,” he added.

Then came the question that fans have been asking for a while—could Caleb Plant beat Canelo in a rematch, especially now that the Mexican star is getting older? The 32-year-old didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, I believe so,” the Nashville native said. In fact, he revealed that just a day after their 2021 fight, he was already thinking about the rematch, and fully believed he’d win it if they ever fought again. “As soon as we fought the next day, I’m like, man, if we fight again, I’m going to beat him. Yeah.”

And timing could be in his favor. With Canelo inking his $400 million, four-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh, once the September showdown with Terence Crawford wraps up, there will be two fights left in that contract (both slated for 2026). And with no opponents named yet, the door is wide open. If Canelo is willing to run it back, and if Sweathands wins over the 26-year-old, Caleb Plant could very well find himself on that shortlist. It’s a waiting game now, but Plant’s making it known that he’s ready if the call comes.

But it’s not just Canelo that Caleb Plant believed he could get the better of. He also didn’t shy away from throwing a little shade at Canelo’s opponent. So, what exactly did he have to say?

While others played it safe with Canelo Alvarez, Caleb Plant fought for glory

After the Riyadh fight, one user posted, “That’s why I respect @SweetHandsPlant so much. He didn’t play with the Canelo fight. Went out on his shield, every fighter Canelo has faced since then has been money grabbers there for a look. Plant wanted the crown.”

The former IBF super-middleweight champion saw the post and agreed. He replied, “I came up short but I wanted to win. I’d rather go out on my shield than feel like I didn’t give it my all.” That response spoke volumes, especially when contrasted with Scull’s performance—despite landing 141 punches, many felt he was more focused on surviving 12 rounds for his career-high $3 million payday than actually trying to win.

It’s a tough spot for Scull, no doubt. After such a lackluster showing, he’ll likely have to rebuild from the ground up. A comeback path similar to Plant’s—regroup, reset, and return with purpose—might be his best bet moving forward. But all this brings us to a bigger question: if Caleb Plant were to get that rematch with Canelo, does he actually have the upper hand this time? Sure, he’s two years younger, but is that enough?