Jermall Charlo wants to hash things out with a fight, but Caleb Plant has yet to commit. It’s been over five years since Charlo held a world title. After navigating extended career gaps, the former two-division champion has been relegated to co-main and main card appearances against lesser-known opponents.

As he gears up to face Koen Mazoudier next weekend, Charlo blames Plant. Things would have been different had Plant given a nod to their much-discussed matchup.

“Trash… Yeah. You’re (Plant) a quitter, man,” Charlo said during an interview with Fight Hub TV’s Marcos Villegas. “You’re a quitter. Caleb Plant could have made the fight happen with me and him. Could have gotten that out of the way, made multi-millions, and things of that nature. He doesn’t have a trainer. I keep getting excuses every time.

“But then, but then it looked like I’m not the one ready, or, you know, like, but I’ve been—I stayed in the gym after the fight. I fought after that and and and whatnot. Like, I squashed the beef really. Honestly, I don’t have any beef with him. Got to take care of his family. I just, man, don’t let me say trash. That’s negative. Just Caleb Plant negative.”

Charlo’s comments came during a quick word association game. Villegas named a few prominent names from the super middleweight division. Against Jaime Munguia, who currently holds the WBA title, Charlo said “tampering.” After describing Hamzah Shiraz as “growing,” he called Edgar Berlanga a “wannabe” fighter.

Beyond the potshots, Charlo’s frustration with Plant largely centers on a matchup that could have gained significant interest given their personal feud. Both could have earned career-high purses, while a win could have provided a much-needed boost to their careers and potentially moved them closer to a title shot.

Instead, the matchup has remained on hold for an extended period.

Charlo’s earlier run at 160 pounds, periods of inactivity, and most significantly, the difference in career trajectories played a major role in stalling the fight with Plant. After the catchweight fight against Jose Benavidez Jr., which took place on November 25, 2023, Charlo did not return until 2025.

Plant, meanwhile, stayed more active. After losing to David Benavidez in 2023, he returned on September 14, 2024, scoring a ninth-round TKO win over Trevor McCumby and earning the vacant WBA interim super middleweight title.

On May 31, 2025, Plant and Charlo featured on the PBC-Amazon Prime card at Las Vegas’ Michelob ULTRA Arena. While Plant faced Joe Resendiz, Charlo made his super middleweight debut against Thomas LaManna for the vacant WBA Continental Americas title.

The result only widened the gap between their respective trajectories. Plant suffered a split decision loss to Resendiz, while Charlo stopped LaManna in the sixth round, making a future matchup between them even more uncertain.

The rivalry between Charlo and Plant traces back to July 28, 2023, at the Errol Spence Jr.-Terence Crawford weigh-in in Las Vegas. Plant slapped Charlo during a backstage exchange. He later explained Charlo had repeatedly pulled his bear after being told to stop. The incident fueled interest in a professional fight, with both the fighters expressing willingness to face others.

Jermall Charlo: The fights, the feuds and the finger-pointing

The Plant dispute is also part of a broader pattern in Charlo’s life, as he has publicly assigned responsibility to others for several fights and career disputes.

One notable example is his proposed fight with Demetrious Andrade. Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn said he offered Charlo roughly $7 million for a one-fight deal with Andrade in a middleweight unification bout. Charlo reportedly disputed how Hearn was pursuing the matchup and directed him to negotiate through PBC’s Al Haymon. The matchup ultimately never materialized.

Plant, meanwhile, is not the only rival against whom Charlo adopted a confrontational approach.

Known for blunt exchanges, Charlo taunted LaManna by predicting a knockout and promising to “stomp” him afterward. During the buildup to his bout against Benavidez Jr., Charlo mocked his behavior, saying he had “a few screws missing” and describing him as a stepping stone.

Reportedly, Charlo and David Benavidez also exchanged hostile remarks over a potential matchup, with both questioning each other’s intentions and credentials.

Charlo has often discussed overcoming difficult periods in his life and wanting to rediscover enjoyment in the sport while continuing to compete at a high level.

He has identified winning a championship at 168 pounds as an important objective as he enters the final stretch of his career. Charlo has spoken about strengthening his legacy, staying active, and making his remaining time in boxing meaningful.

From that perspective, major opponents remain part of his ambitions. While Plant ranks among the names linked to career plans, Charlo believes Canelo Alvarez, who defeated his brother Jermell back in 2023, represents another high-profile possibility.

Plant, meanwhile, remains without a new fight since the loss to Resendiz. He has not announced his retirement, and no new fight is currently listed on his official record. However, he has expressed his interest in continuing to compete and appears to have discussed possible opponents, including Hamzah Sheeraz and Edgar Berlanga.