"I'm going to go out there and do what I do. I'm going to go out there and be slick and be sharp and I'm going to box well, but at the same time, I'm showing that I'm diverse. I'm very dimensional...I'm not into running, ducking, or dodging. I'm into fighting whoever they put in front of me and getting the job done...If he wants to come forward, I'ma bust him with some heat! If he wants to get scared and use a high guard and move away the whole time, I'm going to cut the ring off and go to his body and break him down. Either way, I'll bust him with some heat," stated fast-rising super middleweight Caleb Plant, who talked about his upcoming June 3 return to the ring and much more. Check it out!
PC: June 3rd on Spike TV, you make your ring return, man. Tell us about it!
CP: Man, the team is excited to get back in the ring. I'm looking to put on another show just like the last time and the 11 before that. Training has been going good, sparring has been going good, and everything is on point. It's been a great camp and it's basically just the anticipation of getting back in there and getting back on TV.
PC: It hasn't been a long break, but it'll be about 4 months since your last fight. Was that a much needed break or were you hoping to fight sooner?
CP: Compared to the rest of the time between my fights, it's been longer, but they've been moving me pretty quick. But I've been training, so it wasn't a much needed thing. I fought January 19th and was back training again by the end of January. I kind of misplaced my words when I said that this camp was going good because to be honest, man, I fought May 9th, 2014; that's my camp. My camp was months before my pro debut. I haven't taken no breaks, I haven't been out of the gym, and I've been ready the whole time; stayed ready.
PC: Just one long, extended camp.
CP: Yeah, and this camp is going to last until the end of my career. I stay in the gym. I'm not into that. This is my job. It's not even a job, it's an obsession for me. I love every part about boxing; the training, the running, everything. This is all I love to do.
PC: Carlos Galvan is the opponent. He has 11 knockouts in 12 wins. Does your approach change based on your opponent's knockout ratio?
CP: He's going to have to switch up. He's going to have to adjust to me. I don't go in there set on doing this and doing that. I don't watch too much film. My coaches watch film and they tell me about it and we work on specific things in camp. I'm going to go out there and do what I do. I'm going to go out there and be slick and be sharp and I'm going to box well, but at the same time, I'm showing that I'm diverse. I'm very dimensional. The Jamar Freeman fight, he just wanted to move away, so I had to cut the ring off and move forward. I've shown I have one-punch knockout power in each hand and I have shown that I can move forward and cut the ring off with a high guard and that I can stick and move and box: good head movement, pick and roll, and good footwork. There are a lot of different styles in the boxing game and you gotta be able to adjust and do what you gotta do to get the job done. We going to go out and be sharp and on point and just go from there.
PC: Yeah, it's funny because at first, you were labeled a power puncher and now, you're labeled as a slick boxer. I guess that's not a bad thing for us to not be able to figure out who you are just yet.
CP: Unfortunately, it doesn't matter if I knock everybody out in the 1st round. Not that I'm comparing myself to him in any way, but look at Deontay Wilder. They were saying some of the same things about me. "He can't box, he's not slick," and they were questioning my conditioning. So then I get all of my rounds in and I'm boxing well and in some fights, I'm sticking and moving and in some fights, I'm going forward and going rounds because someone is not engaging with me, and then at that point, I don't have any pop on my punches. Unfortunately, I'm not going to please everybody, so I gotta do what I gotta do and make the best decisions for me to get the job done in my fashion.
PC: You always felt you can fluctuate between 160 and 168. Is that still the case or do you feel you are settling into one weight or the other?
CP: My last fight was at 68; this fight is at 64, so it really don't matter to me. If we can get the right fight at 160 and we not making a jump from 160 to 168, then I'll fight at 160. If they want to fight me at 168, I'll do that too. I'll fight anybody in either one of those divisions. It don't matter to me. I fight who they put in front of me. Whatever they need to do after this fight, this is my last 8-round fight and then we going to 10 rounds. If they want to step it up even more, then we'll do that and it can be at 160 or 168, it don't matter to me. I'm not concerned with weight. I mean, I want to be reasonable. I don't want to jump up to 175 because I gotta listen to my body, but at the same time, I'm not into running, ducking, or dodging. I'm into fighting whoever they put in front of me and getting the job done.
PC: Well, you're in a good place because a lot of talk is on the middleweight division because of the Golovkin/Canelo situation and we just saw a lot of good super middleweight action with the Dirrell Brothers, Lucian Bute, Badou Jack, Medina and DeGale.
CP: Yeah, it's definitely a good time for both divisions. It's big money fights in either one and a lot of stand up guys in both of those divisions. But me and my team is focused on what we are doing. We are focusing on getting better in the gym and out of the gym and focusing on ourselves and continuing to add to my tool belt and sharpening my skills and getting better, man.
PC: What are you looking to showcase on Spike TV on June 3rd?
CP: We gonna get in there and make adjustments as needed. If he wants to come forward, I'ma bust him with some heat! If he wants to get scared and use a high guard and move away the whole time, I'm going to cut the ring off and go to his body and break him down. Either way, I'll bust him with some heat; it don't matter to me.
PC: Columbian fighters are usually very tough and durable and they come to fight. I know you said you don't watch a lot of film, but do you have an idea of what to expect from him?
CP: They pulled a clip up for me once we found out who we were fighting. I kind of seen what his style was in whatever fight he was in, but you gotta be careful sometimes because you can look really good against somebody who is a heavy bag, and then sometimes people have off performances and sometimes people have the performance of their life. So it's good to see stylistically what he's like and some things here and there, but for the most part, my coaches do a tremendous job breaking guys down and going over with me what we need to work on and what we need to tighten up, and that way I don't get any prefabricated ideas of making a guy to be more than what they are or more importantly to be less than what they are. We just go over the fundamentals of what we have to do to be at our best.
PC: I look forward to the fight as I always do when you fight. Good luck and we will speak afterwards. Is there anything else you want to add before I let you go?
CP: I just want to give a shout out to all of my supporters and all of my followers. I hope you guys continue to support and tune in on June 3rd on Spike TV. It's going to be a great night with a lot of great fighters. It's a TMT show and it's going to be good. They can all follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @calebplant. God bless y'all and I appreciate everything.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]