Dricus du Plessis plans an April comeback, a fight that could put the middleweight No. 1 contender back in the title race and set up a potential rematch with champion Khamzat Chimaev. The South African native, who celebrated his 32nd birthday six days ago, wants to break the layoff that followed his first decision loss at the hands of the Chechen fighter this past August.

His team has zeroed in on a few names. For now, the road back to Chimaev begins with a measured step, not a marquee fight. Dricus du Plessis and his team know the stakes involved, so they want to take small steps that not only bolster the former champion’s confidence but also add weight when he calls out Khamzat Chimaev.

Dricus du Plessis targets April return, eyes new opponents

Home of Fight shared excerpts from Morne Visser, du Plessis’ coach, following his interview with Betway. As it appears, they are planning a three-round fight for du Plessis, where he would face either Nassourdine Imavov, currently ranked No. 2 in the middleweight division, or Brendan Allen, who sits at No. 5.

“I think the plan for us would be to fight in April, either Brendan Allen or Imavov. And if it’s Allen, he’s in for a sh*t time,” Visser reportedly said. He added that although Dricus usually fights five-round main events, a shorter fight actually benefits him and makes him even more dangerous.

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“In a three-round fight with Dricus, he’s going to take his head off. He just doesn’`t understand… How many years has it been since Dricus last fought a three-round fight?” he said. For perspective, the last time du Plessis competed in a three-round bout was against Robert Whittaker in July 2023.

That fight was where everyone expected Du Plessis’s hype train to derail. The former champion’s unorthodox fighting style against Robert Whittaker’s measured offence was a foregone conclusion for many. That was until du Plessis wrapped up the show halfway through the second round.

The South African endured Whittaker’s early onslaught and pressured him into giving up. So, Visser is right. A three-round fight allows DDP to push the pace and get the job done. But what’s significant in Team du Plessis’ plan is the ultimate goal they have – a shot at Khamzat Chimaev’s title.

du Plessis plots return path to Chimaev

Visser and his team are confident that, unlike the last meeting, when Chimaev dominated Dricus over five rounds, the outcome will be different this time. Speaking with Fight Forecast, he acknowledged making “small mistakes” that cost them the title but said they are fixable.

“So, easy, easy fixes. We were just not prepared. It sounds stupid what I’m gonna say now, but we were not prepared,” he said. But in the same breath, he offered a veiled criticism of Chimaev, suggesting the Chechen was unwilling to engage.

“We’ve never been prepared to fight a guy who’s not willing to fight. If we knew he was gonna try to just do that, I would have changed Dricus’ base. No punches, no kicks, just flipping wrestle the guy. And Dricus is good enough to do that,” Visser added.

The team believes that on the feet and in the clinch, Chimaev has no chance against Dricus. They say Chimaev’s only real weapon is his wrestling. As a result, their main focus is on fixing Dricus’ ground game and takedown defense. They’re confident that if those areas improve, Chimaev won’t be able to repeat the same strategy, and Dricus will win a rematch decisively.