Benavidez vs. Plant – Clash of Super Middleweight Titans

In this electrifying episode of The Scorecard, boxing expert Cedric Benn breaks down the highly anticipated showdown between undefeated former two-time WBC Super Middleweight Champion David Benavidez and former IBF Super Middleweight Champion Caleb Plant. Set to take place on Saturday, March 25th, at the iconic MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, this battle for Benavidez’s Interim WBC Super Middleweight Title will be broadcast live on SHOWTIME PPV, brought to you by Premier Boxing Champions.

Cedric dives deep into the fighters’ strengths, weaknesses, and styles, offering a comprehensive analysis of their respective paths to this pivotal moment in their careers. He also shares his expert predictions, examining the potential impact of this fight on the super middleweight landscape. From Benavidez’s ferocious power to Plant’s slick boxing skills, this is a clash you won’t want to miss.

Whether you’re a die-hard boxing fan or just tuning in for the excitement, Cedric’s insights will prepare you for an unforgettable night of world-class boxing. Don’t miss this episode of The Scorecard as we gear up for one of the most highly anticipated fights of the year!
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Transcribed

Thank you.

What up? What up? What up welcome to a new type of scorecard? This is uh.

Let me get myself Center here.

The preview prediction scorecard for next week’s big fight between Caleb’s sweet hand, sweet hands plant and David uh benavidez.

Let me get his nickname David El Bandera red flag.

I don’t think the that’s kind of el Bandera, Roja red flag, anyways David benavidez, the Mexican monster.

I can’t wait for this one.

I can’t wait for this one um specifically because just in general, it’s always a bigger fight or it’s always going to be a good fight when the two opponents generally don’t like each other in real life, you know sometimes most of the time you’ll see.

You know two guys talk talking or you know, females to to competitors.

Talking um, you know talking trash to each other in uh, most cases it’s just uh.

You know just to Hype up the fight, but there’s you know there’s a few cases where in real life the you know the two opponents don’t like each other – and this is the case here and um, especially it’s better at the at the highest level, um Caleb’s.

We had plans, let’s go through his record.

Real quick 22 wins 13 Knockouts, with only one loss to Canelo and with that one loss specifically, I had him actually winning on on uh on the scorecard in in that fight versus Canelo.

He did lose it.

He did get caught in in the later rounds.

Uh specifically, I have it up here, referee.

Stop that lost.

It was in the 11th rounds, 11th round stoppage, which was close because I honestly had him um up on on the scorecards in that in that Canelo fight uh.

After that, he thought Anthony Darrell and stopped him with a perfect, accurate left hook and now he’s been about to take on uh benavidez.

Now, looking at benavidez’s record, real quick 26 wins with 23 Knockouts.

This guy is at 88 percentage, knockout percentage uh KO rating.

So if you fight this guy, there is a almost a 90 chance, you’re getting stucked because then he’s undefeated and has very few flaws, but his strengths there’s a few flaws, but his strings out do outdo the the few flaws that he has again undefeated.

He also has a common common opponent in um and Anthony Darrell.

He stopped him and that’s the thing too, because when Anthony Darrell stopped when uh, when, when David Benavides stopped Anthony Darrell, he was only 22 years old.

He was only 22 years old.

When can when Caleb plants uh, he was a little bit older.

What year was Kayla plant born anyways Kayla plant was was not old, but you know in athletic terms a little bit.

Older thing is late: 20s um, when he, when he stopped Anthony Darrell.

Just a couple of months ago, with a probably a knockout of the year, with a perfectly placed accurate left hook to the chin, um counter left hook.

You know it couldn’t have been more perfect than that, especially with with Caleb plant, not known as being a knockout puncher uh, a single punch like a one punch, knockout puncher, he’s not known for that for his power um, he only has a 56 percentage knockout rating In his fights 13 Knockouts in his 22 fights only one defeat to Canelo, which again I thought he was winning, so he relies more on his skills, which has done him very good so far in his career.

That’S the main thing that he’s gon na have to have to rely on so three things: uh well, not specifically, three things, there’s actually one main thing that both guys that I’ve that I believe is going to be the main difference in uh in this.

In this competition here start with kale plant first, he needs to make sure that he has exceptional footwork to be able to to get away from BET from uh benavidez with with different angles, not running not just simply not engaging and – and you know, throwing a simple Jab and and going from rope to rope, he has to land a couple of punches and then make a a sharp turn to get back to the center of the ring.

This is what I always try to explain to the boxers and and just boxes in general fighters in general for MMA fighters too.

If you’re fighting someone, that’s that’s a power punching aggressive puncher that cut especially when they’re coming forward.

If you don’t exactly have the power to match theirs, it’s not running, but simply using your footwork to to to Center back you specifically lateral movement using that lateral movement not to go rope to rope.

That’S the mistake that people do it’s not just simply getting out of the way and going from one rope and I’m going from to the other rope.

No, you have to make a sharp turn to get get yourself back to the center of the Ring, specifically because when you want to take a break, you take it in the center of the ring.

That way, you can stop there and and engage with a few punches not to move anywhere hold your hold your ground land, a few punches and then, when you’re ready, you can move backwards or sideways, or this way or that way, any angle that you want to.

But when you just go from rope to rope, especially against someone, that’s a a very aggressive with coming forward like that that walk them down Style, um, that’s what Benavides is great at I’ll get to him in a second but someone, that’s very aggressive with that.

Going for all when you go simply go from rope to rope, it’s easier for your opponent to cut you off! It’S there’s not it’s easier for them to use that angle, to cut you off if you just go from one rope to the other rope in the in the squared in the squared ring.

But if you, if you go from one rope, take maybe two or three steps and get it do a sharper turn to get back to the center of the Ring, then stop in the center of the Ring not just turn and keep going back back to the Roping to the corner again, sharp turn stop in the center of the ring.

If you don’t want to throw Muse a fake.

One of you know use a fake just to get your opponent to hesitate for a second uh land, a few punches, and then you could do do a a different angle.

That’S not running that’s using smart footwork to get out of your way facing a hard power.

Puncher, that’s the main thing, there’s other things that kale plant has to do, but that’s that’s! That’S really the main one uh and then I’ll come back to him after to talk about the other things, Mr benavidez, this guy’s something else man.

First of all, I was saying years ago, everyone is is recognizing uh benavidez.

Now, as as the guy, I was and have have receipts Witnesses and receipts to uh.

To about that.

I’Ve said this.

I said this years ago that benavidez would be the guy to beat Canelo um people thought I was crazy, saying this years ago said they said it was uh.

I don’t want to call you guys uh, you guys know who you are.

You know you’re smiling listening to this right now, um people said that you know back then he was he was because he was too young.

He got hit too much and he didn’t have the experience yeah.

The experience part yes, but he kind of reminds me – and this is a different comparison, because it’s two – they have two totally different styles.

But the comparison that I’m using is that um is that they fight more mature than their age.

And what I’m talking about is Shakur Stevenson, one of the top boxes in the world he’s like his his boxing brain.

Like he’s he’s in athletic terms, like he’s more, he was, he was always more mature than his age, with the things that he’s doing in the ring.

It’S not it wasn’t just simply his athleticism.

It was the way that he was doing it using his distance.

His good jab not running, but using that side to side movement to to get away from his opponent like he was doing things when he was like 18 19, that most people don’t most boxers, don’t get until they’re like 27 28.

um.

So going back to David benavidez, obviously a different style, but from Shakur Stevenson, but the way that he uses the the walk him down Style, which I like to talk like when your opponent is is, is coming for you not making it a secret like David demand, Venus he’s not gon na be standing there like on his toes like going in and out, like he’s he’s, making it uh pretty clear that he’s coming to take your head off, but he does it in in a smart way and what also makes them special in That walking down Style is that most guys when, when they do come at you like that, they’ll come at you like one or two hard punches, because you still have to be worried about their their power, so you’re still on the move with benavidez.

Not only is he strong, but he throws like multiple combinations, like he’s fast with his hands he’s fast with his hands um, so that that’s what makes him different with it with that walk him down style, coming coming forward, cutting you off coming forward and throwing uh Um throwing lots of punches, it seems pretty simple but um to actually do it to have the confidence to do that when you’re at a young age.

I guess that he was you know, and he he when he said this in one of the press, conferences that um.

That reminded me, because he said you know he he he stopped the rail.

I don’t know if I can’t remember if the fight was stopped or I got the highlights up here.

I don’t know if the fight was stopped anyways he he clearly oh yeah, the pick so yeah.

I forgot about the pixels the whole time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you um, so yeah David David Benavides man that that walk him down style.

He wasn’t, even though he did get hit.

I didn’t think he got hit like concerningly enough to to be worried when he, when he did step up in in level of competition.

So those are the the those are the first two main things that um that both guys have to do to uh to make sure that they win.

So I talked about first Caleb plant having exceptional footwork, not running but exceptional, for work to to get him back to the center of the Ring land.

A couple of punches and then be on the move and David David benavidez has to counter that and continue with his walk him down style, cutting him off, but throwing faster like what bit what benefit Benavides has to try to do.

Whatever weight Caleb plant tries to go in his lateral Movement, try to throw to that side.

So if Kayla plan moves to his left, throw a punch to that side to easy, they’re gon na hit him or make him get his hand up same thing on the other side, so going back to plant now, yeah we’ll go through them picks.

Next Saturday, March 25th, I can’t wait for it also I’ll be coaching the level two boxing course that uh, that we can too so shout out to the coaches, shout out to the coaches that uh graduated from level one a couple weeks last week that I taught And then next week will be level two shout out to them all right back to the fight back to the fight, just a quick sip here and not just I’m gon na talk about anyways we’ll get to that after so back to plant.

The other thing that he has to do he has to pick up the pace with the accuracy of his punches again.

A very good boxer was winning the fight.

I had him winning the fight against uh against Canelo um until he got caught and stopped late, but I wouldn’t have been mad if, if other people had it the other way, because he he didn’t, he didn’t throw, he should have still threw more, and even though He’S very accurate with his punches: that’s how he wins most of his fights with not with his power, but with his skill, his speed and the accuracy of of his punches.

He needs to pick up the pace with that because David benavidez has not he’s still young and he hasn’t been hurt enough yet to to respect his opponent’s power, especially someone with only a 56 percentage, knockout rating, all right.

So if he he’s gon na, if he’s gon na earn David Benavides respect, early Kayla plan’s always been accurate with his punches, but the he has the the accumulation of them has to.

You know the he has to start those a lot more early.

He has to start start grows a lot more early.

He can’t afford to to to lose the the couple of early rounds just trying to figure out what angle he’s going to come out in.

He needs to to figure that out early and be more with the throw more punches with with his accuracy like that again Kayla plant does not have.

I was just about to say with this picture right here I was just about to say he doesn’t have one punch, knockout power.

This is with his last opponent right here, which he stopped with one punch, knockout power, which is probably the knockout of the year.

So I was just I’m gon na come back to the accuracy part with his punches, but just the the psychological part of boxing too, with this fight with Darrell like it’s one thing to have a boxing match with someone a competitive boxing match with someone.

You know that that alone is uh.

You know a challenge mentally, but the extra pressure that you put on yourself, knowing that you don’t like the other person, the reason why I bring that up this fight with Anthony Darrell.

Here there was a lot of trash talking going on too, and it wasn’t just for the fight it was.

You know they were seriously talking some trash to each other um.

So you have that extra mental pressure.

That’S on you! This fight with benavidez is 10 times, like they’ve, been talking to each other for years now and they’re finally gon na get at each other next Saturday.

I can’t wait for it.

So going back to the accuracy um with Caleb plant anyways, I talked enough about that.

He just has to throw more punches if he’s, because he’s already accurate with him.

It’S not you.

I mentioned this in the course that that I taught last week, sometimes in the crowd, you’ll hear you’ll, hear random people say stuff like, like even coaches, say, like throw punches and bunches, which means obviously just throw lots of punches.

But it’s not just simply throwing lots of punches.

You want to be accurate, be efficient with the punches that you are throwing right.

So he needs to be efficient and not just efficient, but he Kayla plant is already efficient.

He has to throw more going back to benavidez.

Benedines has been so dominant in his fights again: 90 KO percentage rating 26 wins 23, Knockouts, uh or Knockouts, or stoppages tkos like and – and he might have got touched up.

You know a little bit, but not enough again, not enough for him to respect his opponent’s power um with that being said, there are sometimes there are some times where sometimes he’s he is.

He isn’t so so in control that he gets kind of lazy with his defense and that’s when he would get hit a couple times again.

He would always overcome it and and in most cases, stop his opponent but um, sometimes yeah again, he’s so dominant that he kind of gets.

He kind of not loses his Focus, but he kind of gets, lazy and kind of plays around a little bit.

And you know which would get him touched up against Caleb plants, if he’s on his game and if he again, if he, if he picks up the accumulation of his punches with his accuracy, that that I believe, would cause problems for benavidez.

And you know what I forgot to do.

I I even told myself that I said I was going to do this at the beginning of the show.

This is the scorecard specifically the prediction scorecard, so I should have started with um with my uh prediction, so my actual prediction for this fight is David benavidez by decision by Split Decision and I’m split between Split Decision or unanimous.

I believe Kayla plans will will come in, especially with his coach, Stephen Edwards, shout out to Stephen Edwards, one of the best smartest coaches in the game.

This guy does not get enough credit for his.

For his boxing mind, most boxing people don’t even know who I’m talking about right.

Now, Steven Edwards Kayla plans coach one of the smartest boxing coaches out there right now.

Much respect to him.

He’S gon na have Kayla plant focused on a good game plan um.

My only thing is, I’m not I’m not sure to that.

Kayla plant is going to throw enough to make him win enough rounds.

I know he’s gon na throw and I know he’s gon na land and I know – and I hope he doesn’t go from rope to rope, but he makes the sharp turns to get him back to the center of the Ring.

I’M just not sure.

If he’s going to be able to to throw those extra punches, that he’s going to need to to get benavida’s respect to make benavidez hesitate to come forward, and so I know I I and I think I know, he’ll win Kayla plant will win a couple of Rounds um, you know, I did say split, but I am actually leaning slightly a little bit more towards I’m, slightly leaning more towards unanimous yeah yeah.

You know what all right I’ll just go with it effort I’m gon na go with unanimous by David benavidez, but not not um without without you know it.

I think it’ll be closer.

I think it’ll be closer.

I think Candle plant will land.

Like I said he’ll, you have good footwork and land some punches just not enough to not enough punches to to get him to win some of the close rounds.

That’S what yeah! That’S the thing! That’S how I’ll put it there’s gon na be a lot of close rounds.

There’S gon na be a lot of close rounds, but those close rounds will be won by David benavidez because of his welcome down style and he’s going to be throwing more, not just simply because he’s coming forward, you don’t just give for someone’s, not just winning the Fight just because they’re coming forward more, but I believe benavidez is going to come forward more and throw more just be more busier.

Um yeah man, this body shot.

They landed here from David lemir and again he’s tall long and has power, and – and you know the other thing David benavidez has he’s just naturally a bigger person.

He used to be not athletic, but he was used to be a heavyweight like just a chubby kid but at the same time he’s still a box.

So you know it’s kind of either.

He might not have a six-pack.

It was body, but he’s been boxing for for a long time, so he has the skills and, like I said, because he came down from like 200 pounds, but he fights that uh this fight’s at 168.

I believe um and he came.

He used to be a chubby kid at 200 pounds, so he he just he has that natural strength from being that big before um and he’s and his hands are fast.

So that’s why that is the main reason why I am.

I think David Benavides will win by unanimous decision, but again, there’s still going to be a lot of close rounds, because Kayla plant is a very good boxer and if he sticks to the game plan which I’m assuming um Edwards will give him exceptional.

Footwork more punches with the with his accuracy.

That’S uh that I believe will uh will help him get it yeah, but he does not want to be in this position here in this picture right here, um get caught against the ropes.

If you get caught against the ropes with David benavidez and he catches you with one of those like it’s, you know it’s a very slim chance that you’re getting out of it.

You do not want to be in this position against David benavidez um, so throw a couple punches, sharp trying to get back to the center and then um yeah, unanimous by David benavidez.

Yeah, don’t end up like that.

Don’T end up like that, so that is going to be next week March 25th, next Saturday, again yeah in this picture right here you know uh uh Kayla plant using his exceptional defense.

Getting his get his left hand down, put his right hand up to get away from uh from canelo’s from canelo’s White punches.

Sometimes, can you know canelo’s fast with his hands too? Sometimes he throws wipe.

This is a good example of how of how Kayla plant made a made uh made one of the pound-for-pound boxes.

Remember that too Canelo is considered.

One of the top pound, profound boxes in the sport of boxing and uh and Kayla plan did very well against them.

In that that whole time in in that fight, I’m using my phone do we have any anybody in the comments? Oh, oh, oh, okay.

Okay, my bad! I missed all these comments here to go through these.

Let me go through these wow all right, all right! All right, where’s, the beginning, though so so mad chat, Sports Tavern good morning, much respect much respect.

He thinks I’m overrating David vanity, as David uh gon na bust up plant y’all overrating David.

What do you mean how you just said? I’M overrating David, but you said David, is going to bust up.

Plant David has to move up to 175.

David with her ready, yet he may have.

He may have to move down to 160 chubby David looks like Tarzan, uh.

He wasn’t accurate versus Canelo.

Yes, he was very accurate versus Canelo you’re wrong about that.

Um David is accurate.

David is over AP AP to Great 28 says David is overrated.

I do not.

I do not agree with that.

So what else? Well, maybe you’ll explain it up here.

Ap tell uh love this fight.

Ap says both guys biggest win is with bum Durrell.

How can you make an assessment? It’S simply.

They both have the same common opponent.

That’S how you make the the uh the assessment come on now.

Neither guy has no signature when to make neither Fair assessment.

Victor Conti versus Angel hereditia, uh yeah, both will be very well conditioned.

David is going to stop playing, but after that now what canelo’s, what, after that payday all the compass at 175.

yeah yeah? That would be very interesting, so I guess uh well.

If, if and it all depends where Canelo, because can people are going to follow where the money is so whatever, whatever Canelo, wherever Canelo was gon na go to that’s where these guys are gon na go to now as far as um making the way, so he Made a comment about uh moving up to 175 again, wherever Canelo was at that’s, where people are going to kind of gravitate to bill.

You know bival even said: he’d go down to is going down to 160 for for the rematch, so that part no um and again what David benavidez said this years ago he’s fast, I’m not he’s not overrated man he’s not uh he’s, definitely not overrated.

What did I say after he stops playing after that? What again, wherever canelo’s at that’s? Where he’s going, I’m not sure about that the guys at 175, like again the Vol who’s, probably the second best at 175, said he’s gon na follow Canelo wherever Canelo wants to fight at 168, 175 he’ll have to rematch wherever he wants to.

So that’s where, wherever canelo’s at that’s, where the money is going to follow, that’s what you guys are going to go to um as far as making the weight.

You know he’s not too big for the wig class right.

If you can make the weight dominate.

There’S no, he did.

He did miss the week, one time and another time got suspended for another reason, but he he missed the weight one time.

That is that, because he was young and still not disciplined was nutrition.

Yet this was a couple of years ago.

I don’t think he’s missed weight since then, so, if you can make the weight dominate, there’s no no weight, bullying, yeah, yeah uh.

Someone else told me: it looked like Le’Veon Bell too.

That’S funny uh.

What are the big money fights at 168? The Canelo the same Canelo, who has zero desire to fight him exactly yeah yeah, but I’m just saying this, but the re you’re asking me what’s next, I’m just saying that’s what you have to try for, even if he’s not gon na, do it call him out, Have other fights to put yourself in a better position for him to to fight you for that big money, fight uh the Mexican fan base will call forward.

Canelo looks uh, greeny belly thymine of both canals and many bnabis fights are perfect.

Canelo wants Noble, okay or I don’t is this confirmed that he actually did he himself say this, or is this your assumption, because I know it’s in the in in the contract there was obviously Canelo has a has a um uh, a rematch Closet in in all Of his fights, so I don’t know if he has, if he’s completely, not gon na exercise that or if he’s gon na, do it at a better date.

Rematch with better beef, destroys him uh.

Yes, I bet, I believe, better, be destroys everyone who he fights um better, be is one of those exceptional guys hold on.

Let me talk about Better B for a second uh uh.

Better beef is one of those guys that uh is exceptional.

He is 37 years old now so he’s getting a little bit up.

There he’s obviously disciplined with his training and stuff like that.

So he’s a he’s, a young 37, but um still there again.

How old is is David benediz hold on? He is 26 years old.

Now he’s only 26 years old now so yeah.

So when you say like you know where okay, he hasn’t accomplished nothing yet no signature! No signature fight! You guys, 26 years old right now, so he still has a a um another couple years before he’s.

Actually, in his physical man, strength, Prime, so yeah yeah yeah a couple years from now, like as good as he’s looking right now against the B plus level, a minus level cup competition that he’s been facing.

I am very impressed by him and you know.

Sometimes you got ta, of course, these guys when they’re coming up.

That’S why it’s called you know predictions because you, you kind of, have to make your assessment to to see like if you were a Matchmaker who would you match them up with match them up with to you know, to help them get that experience to to get To get to the top, obviously you have to slowly move up in competition, so he has a record of 26 wins 23 Knockouts he’s only 26 friggin 26 years old man come on now take a quick sip to get back to these guys.

What else we got here so better be a better beef.

Is an elite boxer puncher? Yes, exactly! You know one thing that a lot of people don’t know about better these guys with bival and better be the reason why vivald never went to the Olympics.

It better be have beat him in the amateurs too.

So better beam is not just a a stalk you power puncher.

He actually has boxing skills too, very good boxing skills um.

So what else we got he fights Bilbo once he gets 68.

If there is one yeah, exactly the Canelo, the Canelo rebash would be at 168 if there was one madchat Sports Tavern.

Thank you for for chiming in AP to Great 28.

Whatever he says asking me what B, plus competition, what B plus has David fought before Plant? Let me pull up the box wreck b-plus.

Well, lemir is old.

He had a belt before uh Anthony Darrell come on now he’s at least B plus.

Don’T tell me Anthony deroza c, plus c plus fighter Ronald the grill them two fights that he had with Ronald.

The grill, those were two tough matches.

Ronald derail is at least a B plus fighter.

Don’T tell me Ronald the girl’s.

A bum like come on now: Jay Leon, love, uh, uh, Ronald Ellis.

Put up a good fight like come on man.

These guys are these guys.

Aren’T bums they’re, not they’re, not they’re, definitely not a level competition I’ll.

Give you that, but that’s that’s disrespectful to call uh Auntie darella, a c plus fighter nah man.

That’S that’s disrespectful! Yeah yeah yeah pull up one pull up the box wreck.

Not this is your opinion, but pull up the box Rick and give a specific explanation: David beat up Ellis Ellis’s, canelo’s number one sparring partner, all right and and what and what Darrell is C minus? No! No! No! No! That’S! That’S disrespectful man! That’S that’s disrespectful! Um! So yeah man, what else we got? What else we got asked Kelly Pavlik about about David? Yes, yes, Kaylee, Kelly, Pavlik, um and Kelly Patrick was Kelly.

Patrick’S was this again sparring that you’re speaking of not actual competition, right, um, but much respect to you guys? Man much respect to you guys that took the time to to to give your opinions AP to Great 28.

Thank you very much, much respect to you.

Mad chat Sports Tavern.

You know we.

We can agree to disagree, and I appreciate you guys taking time to uh, to make the comments in in the show and uh when David was a teenager.

Yes, yes, exactly whoa David Kelly was not Elite at the time when David was a was a teenager when, when David was a teenager, um yeah and remember what I talked about before that uh, like he, he boxes more mature than his age.

So that’s exactly what I’m talking about right now, David did that to him when he was a teenager, so I just proved my point right there, but again.

Thank you very much for for the comments, much respect, much respect AP to Great 28 and mad chat Sports Tavern.

All right man, I’m out I’ll, see you guys next week shout out to talk and fight number one boxing Sports channel on YouTube.

If you can’t catch the scorecard live check, it check it um, you know, check the replay on the YouTube channel or any, where you anywhere that you listen to the to your sports uh um boxing podcast also check out the talk and fight website and uh subscribe.

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