Jose Armando Resendiz Upsets Caleb Plant via Split Decision

Caleb Plant, the former IBF super middleweight champion, defended his interim WBA super middleweight title against Jose Armando Resendiz at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in a 12-round main event streamed on Prime Video. The crowd, a mix of Plant’s local supporters and vocal Mexican fans chanting for Resendiz, created a charged atmosphere heightened by the fight’s stakes: a win for Plant was expected to set up a high-profile clash with Jermall Charlo later in the year. Plant, entering with a 23-2 (14 KOs) record, was a heavy favourite at -2500 odds, coming off a ninth-round TKO over Trevor McCumby. Resendiz, a 26-year-old Mexican with a 15-2 (11 KOs) ledger, was seen as a live underdog, fresh off a knockout win over Fernando Palizo. In a stunning upset, Resendiz outworked Plant to claim a split decision victory, with judges Max DeLuca and Steve Weisfeld scoring 116-112 for Resendiz, while David Sutherland controversially scored 115-113 for Plant. The result, which saw Resendiz claim the interim WBA title, derailed Plant’s plans and reshaped the super middleweight landscape, leaving Plant at 23-3 (14 KOs) and Resendiz at 16-2 (11 KOs). Plant’s strategy relied on his trademark slickness, using his six-foot frame and 74-inch reach to control distance with a snapping jab and fluid footwork. In the opening rounds, he dictated the pace, landing crisp combinations and a sharp left hook to keep Resendiz at bay. The Nashville native, known as “Sweethands” for his hand speed, appeared confident, circling the ring and targeting Resendiz’s body to sap his energy. However, Resendiz, trained by Manny Robles, brought relentless pressure, his aggressive Mexican style forcing Plant onto the back foot by the fourth round. CompuBox stats reveal Resendiz’s edge, landing 186 of 600 punches (31%) compared to Plant’s 108 of 509 (21%), with 109 of Resendiz’s shots being power punches. “I knew I was going to win,” Resendiz said post-fight, his confidence evident as he absorbed Plant’s early shots and responded with heavy right hands and left hooks. Plant’s failure to follow up his punches with combinations allowed Resendiz to seize momentum, particularly as he began landing body shots that slowed Plant’s movement. The fight’s turning point came in the third round when Resendiz’s pressure started to overwhelm Plant’s defence. A sneaky left hook from Resendiz forced Plant to the ropes, echoing a moment from Plant’s fight against Trevor McCumby, where he was briefly floored. By the fifth, Resendiz’s aggression paid dividends as he landed a solid right to Plant’s body, drawing roars from the Mexican contingent in the crowd. Plant’s jab remained effective, but his tentative approach—described by BoxingScene as a reluctance to “pull the trigger”—limited his output. In the sixth, Resendiz landed a pair of booming right hands, one opening a cut over Plant’s right eye, a visual marker of the Mexican’s growing dominance. “I felt like I was in control, using my jab,” Plant said, reflecting on the close nature of the fight, but the judges favoured Resendiz’s activity, awarding him every round from the sixth onward on two scorecards. The crowd’s energy surged with each Resendiz flurry, their chants of “Mexico!” punctuating the action. The later rounds saw Resendiz’s relentless pressure expose Plant’s vulnerabilities. By the tenth, Resendiz was bombarding Plant with combinations, targeting the body and head while Plant struggled to respond. Blood trickled from Plant’s eye, and his fatigue was evident as Resendiz’s jab and power shots found their mark. The twelfth round was a microcosm of the fight: Resendiz chased Plant, landing a punishing body shot and an upstairs right, while Plant’s counters lacked conviction. The Sporting News’ unofficial scorecard had Resendiz winning 118-110, though the official split decision (116-112, 116-112, 113-115) sparked debate, with David Sutherland’s card for Plant drawing criticism as “absurd” from analysts. “I was patient, but the judges saw it the other way,” Plant said, acknowledging the outcome while maintaining he had done enough. Resendiz’s victory, his biggest since defeating Jarrett Hurd in 2023, positioned him as a contender for a potential clash with Charlo or even Canelo Alvarez, who holds the full WBA title. The fight’s broader implications reverberated through the super middleweight division. Plant, a former champion who had faced elite names like Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez, was expected to cruise past Resendiz en route to a grudge match with Charlo, fueled by a 2023 altercation where Plant slapped Charlo after a weigh-in dispute. Jermall Charlo’s sixth-round TKO over Thomas LaManna on the undercard kept his part of the plan intact, but Resendiz’s upset, likened by Yahoo Sports to Andy Ruiz’s 2019 shock over Anthony Joshua, scuttled those prospects. The Michelob Ultra Arena, home to 12,000 fans, buzzed with disbelief as Resendiz’s hand was raised, his beaming smile contrasting Plant’s bloodied face. “I’m ready to fight anyone,” Resendiz declared, signalling his intent to challenge the division’s top names. For Plant, the loss marked his third in five fights, raising questions about his future at 32, with analysts like ESPN’s Brett Okamoto noting he now faces a “career crossroads.”