Caleb Plant’s next IBF super middleweight title defense is set. While PBC haven’t sent out a press release or added it to their official schedule or even done a company Tweet about it, it was shown on tonight’s PBC on FS1 broadcast that Plant will face Caleb Truax on Jan. 30. The fight will headline on FOX and is almost certainly the first time a world title bout has been between two guys called Caleb.
The 28-year-old Plant (20-0, 12 KO) won the IBF belt in Jan. 2019, beating Jose Uzcategui, and has had back-to-back dominant title defenses against badly over-matched foes in Mike Lee and Vincent Feigenbutz. Notre Dame Subway Lee was just a lousy choice for opponent, but Feigenbutz was a mandatory.
Not sure what the reaction to Truax (31-4-2, 19 KO) getting this shot will be. On the one hand, he’s a legitimate step up from the last two no-hopers, and a totally different style of fighter than Uzcategui, whom Plant was able to rather handily out-box for the most part. But Truax is also 37, and while a former titlist thanks to his memorable 2017 upset of James DeGale, there’s probably the sense he’s past his prime. Since losing the belt back to DeGale in Apr. 2018, he’s gone 2-0, beating a pair of club guys, and also going to a no-contest with Peter Quillin in Apr. 2019.
