Caleb Truax has already overcome steep odds against him, outpointing heavily favored James DeGale to win a major super middleweight title in 2017.
Can he do it again against beltholder Caleb Truax — a 20-1 favorite — again tonight in Los Angeles (Fox)?
Here is Boxing Junkie’s prognostication, broken down into three parts: why Plant will win, why Truax will win and prediction.
WHY PLANT WILL WIN
Plant has superior physical tools and ability, he has enough experience and he’s in his prime. The one thing fans will notice immediately is Plant’s speed, particularly in relation to Truax’s lack thereof. Plant will stick and move before Truax has a chance to react. That doesn’t mean Plant will run. He will fight with controlled aggression, picking his spots to land punches and break down Truax. And he will have success doing that. The challenger, a tough, proud fighter, will never give up but his body will be able to take only so much punishment. Unknown David Basajjamivule gave Truax problems in January of last year, Truax’s most-recent fight. You have to think Plant will be able to handle him.
WHY TRUAX WILL WIN
The one advantage Truax has is experience. He has fought more than twice as many professional rounds as Plant (242 to 110). And while he’s 37, he says he’s healthy for the first time in years after recovering from an Achilles tendon tear and nagging elbow soreness. We’ll take his word for it. A healthy Truax is a legitimate contender, meaning he could give almost anyone trouble if he’s on point. Once again: He beat one of the better super middleweights in DeGale not too long ago. He has it him. If he’s patient, executes his game plan and can take Plant’s power, he is capable of making Plant’s life difficult – at least for a while.
PREDICTION
Plant is simply too good for Truax. He will use his jab and footwork to establish the optimal distance for him and land more and more power shots as the fight progresses. Truax is a tough guy. He will take some punishment and continue to stalk Plant. However, by mid-fight, Plant’s hard blows will have begun to take a toll on him and he won’t survive to hear to the final bell.
Plant KO 10
