Caleb Plant survives knockdown and stops Trevor McCumby in the ninth round in the Canelo-Berlanga pre-fight

Caleb Plant turned a nearly disastrous evening into a showcase performance.

The former IBF super middleweight titleholder was able to overcome a knockdown in the fourth round and defeat Trevor McCumby in the ninth round. A series of punches rendered McCumby defenseless and ended the ninth round on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas after 2 minutes, 59 seconds.

Plant – a talent raised in Ashland City, Tennessee, who now lives in Vegas – captured the interim WBA super middleweight title.

“We kicked him out of here, just like I said,” Plant said after the win.

McCumby got off to a strong start. Plant hadn't fought since a point loss to David Benavidez in March 2023 and was showing signs of ring rust. At times, he also showed signs of uncertainty about his next move. Arizona's McCumby was able to impose his will at several moments in the early rounds.

Plant was lucky not to go down late in the second round. McCumby was on point with his left hook, which landed all round. Plant went down just before the bell, seconds after taking such a blow. Referee Allen Huggins waved it off and dismissed it as a slip.

A similar sequence occurred at the start of the third round. Plant was once again down after McCumby landed a punch, but again it was ruled a slip. McCumby was undeterred and continued to fight against his larger and far more experienced opponent.

McCumby was finally awarded a knockdown in the fourth round. A left hook landed on Plant's right bicep. The Las Vegas-based boxer lost his balance when another left hook hit his shoulder and he fell through the ropes. The sequence was ruled a knockdown, forcing Plant to catch up.

“He caught me as he was pulling me out,” Plant later admitted. “I went back. He hit my shoulder and I lost my balance. It was what it was.”

Plant was able to restore it in the blood.

The tide turned dramatically in Plant's favor after he took the advice of renowned trainer Stephen “Breadman” Edwards. Plant followed the urge not to fall for McCumby's shoulder roll and forced an inside fight. McCumby struggled to adjust as Plant pounded to the body and landed several right hooks up top.

Plant played the entire sixth round in front of his enthusiastic local crowd. McCumby looked like a battered opponent while Plant's confidence grew.

McCumby made one final stand in a hard-fought seventh round, but Plant was not deterred.

The clock finally struck midnight in the ninth round as McCumby's Cinderella story finally came to an end. Plant pushed for the finish, confident he could finish the fight despite his modest percentage in that category. McCumby was bloodied and pinned to the ropes as Plant fired a barrage of punches. The bell sounded as Huggins jumped in to protect McCumby from any more blows.

McCumby's corner lodged a mild protest before resigning themselves to the boxer's fate.

It was a valiant performance from the previously unbeaten but largely untested McCumby, who dropped to 28-1 (21 KOs), coming shortly after a ten-round win over Christopher Pearson earlier this year.

McCumby had previously posted a career-best first-round knockout of Donovan George, but the fight was converted to a no-contest when McCumby tested positive for a banned substance following their meeting in November 2016. The matter was the subject of a court case, which pushed the decision back to the following September.

A nine-month suspension followed, during which McCumby seriously considered announcing his retirement. He changed his mind and won five in a row since his return in 2018 before Saturday's loss.

In the meantime, Plant can see into the future, but not before reminding the world of his life in the present.

“They say I can't fight. I think I showed that tonight,” Plant noted. “We got back up and went to work and got the stoppage.”

Plant improves to 23-2 (13 KOs) thanks to a brilliant offensive performance, landing 207 of 385 punches for a brilliant 53.8% strike rate, compared to 99 of 305 (32.5%) for McCumby.

It was Plant's first win since his one-punch knockout of Anthony Dirrell in October 2022. The performance was recognized by many media outlets as the Knockout of the Year 2022.

It came 11 months after Plant lost to Alvarez in their unification bout in November 2021 by 11th-round knockout, ending his IBF title reign. His win over Dirrell was followed by a quick return to the ring, albeit in a loss to Benavidez, followed by an 18-month layoff, the longest of his career. His extended ring absence since the Benavidez loss forced him out of The Ring's 168-pound rankings. He was previously listed at number three.

Plant-McCumby was part of the supporting act for the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga PBC on Prime Pay-Per-View.

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