Canelo & Caleb Plant In Talks Again For Title Unification Bout
Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant have found themselves back at the negotiation table.
Alvarez and Plant initially agreed to a title unification bout on Sept. 18. Canelo holds the WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring Super-Middleweight Titles. Plant is the IBF Champion. Talks fell apart as Plant cited some issues with the terms of the deal.
It appears discussions are heating up again. ESPN’s Mike Coppinger reports that Canelo and Plant are close to making their undisputed showdown a reality.
“Sources: Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant are once again nearing a deal for an undisputed super middleweight title fight, a PBC on Fox PPV that would take place in November. Alvarez-Plant was agreed to for Sept. 18 before it fell apart last month.”
When talks between Canelo and Plant first fell apart, Plant had the following to say to ESPN.
“His bark is bigger than his bite. Canelo was offered the highest guarantee of his career: He was set to make $40 million plus Mexican TV rights and his Hennessy Sponsorship. No problem, let’s fight. We gave it to him. Then they wanted upside of gate and PPV revenue; no problem, let’s rumble.
“It was always agreed that it was a (title) unification; no rematch for either fighter. Towards the end of negotiations, they asked for a rematch when they lose. No problem, you can have the rematch as well, I just wanna fight.”
Plant said there was one term in particular that gave him pause.
“One that is absurd: If I get injured or sick then he gets a late replacement for the same amount of guaranteed money, but if he gets sick or injured, then we gotta wait for him. We’re at seven-and-a-half weeks from the fight; we’ve lost valuable time that should be spent promoting and drug testing for a fight of this magnitude.”