LAS VEGAS -- Canelo alvarez kept on swarming round after round even as his mysterious opponent glided around Saturday's ring at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Canelo didn't stop coming and the pressure grew. Caleb Plant was his opponent, whom he claimed was his most hated. He promised him a punishment and he won.
Plant was floored by a brutal left hook and a vicious right uppercut. He never recovered. Plant tried to flee danger on unsteady feet, but Alvarez saw the moment. Russell Mora, referee, stopped the bout at Round 11.
Punch Stats Punches Alvarez plant Total landed 112 101 Jabs thrown 15 42 Jabs 102 232 Percent 14% 18% power landed 102 59 Power throw 251 209 Percent 41% 268% -- Courtesy CompuBox
Alvarez was a top-ranked fighter and the pound-for-pound No. 1. 1 fighter. He is the undisputed super middleweight champion and the first fighter to have all four belts in one weight category.
Alvarez (57-1, 39KOs), 31-year-old Alvarez, Guadalajara Mexico is a four-division champion. Alvarez won the WBC and WBA belts in December after a decision win over Callum Smith. In May, he won the WBO title by defeating Billy Joe Saunders.
Plant, 29, from Nashville, Tennessee (21-1, 12KOs), won the IBF strap in 2019. He had previously defended the belt three more times before falling to Alvarez.
Here's the full fight recap
Round-by-round analysis
Round 11: Canelo alvarez scores two knockdowns on Caleb Plant in Round 11. The referee stops the match after the second. The first knockdown was his last. Canelo Alvarez is the current undisputed super middleweight champion. TKO 11.
Round 10: Caleb Plant showed good defense and movement. These are attributes we knew he would have going in. He hasn't shown a willingness or ability to fight in a losing fight. Canelo, 10-9 98-92 Canelo
Round 9: Plant finally unloads with a large combination at the end, but it wasn’t enough to win round. Alvarez continues to slap Plant in corners, inflicting punishment. Canelo, 10-9 88-83 Canelo
Round 8: Caleb Plant is barely throwing his right hand and content to let Canelo jab. Alvarez continues to apply pressure and throw body shots. Plant could win some rounds if he could make Canelo take a few more shots. Canelo, 10-9 78-74 Canelo
Round 7: Alvarez is putting it all on right now and crushing Plant to pieces. Caleb will respond with a solid counter right but they are too few and far between. Alvarez cruises to victory. Canelo, 10-9 68-65 Canelo
Round 6: Canelo Alvarez is rolling now. Plant was battered by him in this round. He used a lot of right hands to hit the body, making the area red and with lots of left hooks. Plant did not throw any power shots using his right hand. Canelo, 10-9 58-56 Canelo
Round 5: Caleb Plant makes Canelo miss, but not making him pay. Alvarez hit Plant with a huge left hook in the face. His relentless pressure is winning this fight. Canelo, 10-9 48-47, Canelo.
Round 4: A big round for the Mexican star. He landed a lot of big shots, including the left hook (both to his body and to his head). Alvarez put him on the ropes more than in the first three rounds and is now coming on after a slow start. 10-9, Canelo. 38-38
Round 3: Caleb Plant boxed beautifully. He doubled and tripled the jab to keep Alvarez away. Plant used the jab for setting up lefts to his body, and avoided any danger. Alvarez has only attacked in short bursts so far once he has Plant on his ropes. 10-9, Plant. 29-28, plant
Round 2: Caleb Plant proved to be far more successful in round 2. He used feints to set Canelo for the left hand. Alvarez finished the round with a three-punch combination that was very effective, but it's still even. 10-9, Plant. 19-19
Round 1: Canelo alvarez didn’t throw a punch for the first 90 seconds. He applied pressure and tried Caleb Plant’s timing. But he connected with some solid body shots in the second half to win the round. Canelo, 10-9.
More results
Hernandez loses to Dirrell in a crucial KO
Marcos Hernandez was stopped in Round 4 by super middleweight Anthony Dirrell. David Becker/Getty Images
Anthony Dirrell landed a spectacular right uppercut on Marcos Hernandez to win Round 4 in the co-feature at Canelo-Plant.
Total Punch Stats Dirrell Hernandez Total thrown 40 46 31% Jabs 6 6 Jabs thrown 4554 Percent 13% 11% Power Landed 34 40 Power Thrown 90 96 Percent 38% 42% -- Courtesy CompuBox
The journeyman was knocked out by the former super middleweight champion with one punch. Hernandez was unable to beat the count but was still on wobbly legs when referee CelestinoRuiz stopped the fight 22 seconds into the second round. This is Dirrell's first win since February 2019, when Hernandez won the super middleweight title against Avni Yildirim.
34-2-2, 24 KOs, Dirrell was coming off a disappointing draw with Kyrone, Davis, in February. He also lost his title in September 2019 via ninth-round KO, to David Benavidez. The native of Flint in Michigan, 37, is a survivor of cancer. He is ranked No. ESPN rated him No. 10 at 168lbs.
Hernandez (15-5-2 and 3 KOs), a Fresno, California native, has won only two of his seven previous bouts.
Vargas wins with a one-sided decision
Rey Vargas (ex-junior featherweight champion) returned to the ring after more than two years. He won a decision win over Leonardo Baez. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
Rey Vargas won his first fight at 126lbs, ending a long career with a unanimous victory over Leonardo Baez. It was scored 100-90 by two judges, while a third score it 99-91.
Punch Stats Vargas Baez Total landed 215,166 Total thrown 6640 605 Percent 34% 27 Jabs landed 29 24, Jabs thrown 227,243 Percent 13% 10% Power Landed 186 142 Power Thrown 413 362 Percent 55% 39% -- Courtesy CompuBox
Baez, a 30-year-old Mexican man, used his height and reach to protect his division in a dull affair with little action.
Vargas (35-0-22 KOs), made five successful defenses for his 122-pound title. However, he was left with a broken leg that forced him to relinquish the belt. This was Vargas' first fight since July 2019. He'll now be fighting at featherweight to win a title in another weight class.
Baez (21-5 and 12 KOs), 26-year-old Mexican fighter, has lost three out of six fights.
Rodriguez is back to winning ways with the KO of Romero
Juan Pablo Romero was stopped in Round 5 by Elvis Rodriguez, a junior welterweight prospect. He used a left cross on the head to stop him. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
After his first professional loss, Elvis Rodriguez bounced back with a fifth-round knockout of Juan Pablo Romero at the Canelo-Plant Premiere PPV.
Punch Stats Rodriguez Romero Total landed 85 Total thrown 31% 31% 7 Jabs landed 7 Jabs thrown at 107 105 Percent 25% 7% 3% Power landed 8 77 82 Power toss 163 230 Percent 47% and 36% -- Courtesy CompuBox
In Round 4, the 25-year old Dominican Republic native floored Romero with a left cross, and then finished him with the same punch in the next round. Rodriguez (12-1-1; 11 KOs), opened Romero’s guard with a right elbow that was missed by the left hand.
Romero (11-4, 9 KOs), sat down on the ground and watched as the referee reached 10 with just one second left in the round.
Top Rank released Rodriguez after a May upset loss to Kenneth Sims Jr. Rodriguez, at 140 pounds, proved that he is still a prospect worth watching in his PBC debut. Rodriguez is trained by Freddie Roach (Hall of Famer), and despite his defensive shortcomings, he has the ability to win any fight.
Romero, 31 years old, represented Mexico at the 2016 Olympics.
Salvatierra KO Diaz in fifth round
Jan Salvatierra was stopped by Fernando Diaz in Round 5. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
Fernando Diaz finished the Canelo-Plant Prelims with a brutal fifth-round KO by Jan Salvatierra.
Diaz (10-1-1-1, 3KOs) connected with an left hook that floored Salvatierra (7-1-3 KOs), who tried to beat the referee's score but fell down again. Round 5: 2:16 was the end of the bout.
Salvatierra, a junior bantamweight from Riverside in California, lost to Salvatierra, a Mexican fighter, in his first professional loss. It was a close fight.
With a decision win over Mendoza, Velazquez remains undefeated
Joselito Velazquez won unanimously in eight rounds over Gilberto Mendoza to remain undefeated. The fight was viewed identically by all three judges: 80-72.
Velazquez (14-0-1), was effective in his attack on the body during a fight with little action. The Mexican 112-pounder was fighting in his first fight since May. He suffered a single blemish to his record, a draw.
Mendoza (19-11-3; 10 KOs), also has decision losses to Angel Acosta, Rau'shee Warren.
Meza wins decision after being knocked down
Jose Antonio Meza, junior lightweight, won by unanimous vote over Jose Gomez. Al Bello/Getty Images
Jose Antonio Meza won a knockdown in the first round to win a major upset in a bout at 130 pounds. The fight was scored by all three judges the same: 76 to 75.
Meza (8-6-1, 2 KOs), boxed on the outside after being nearly stopped in Round 1. After losing three of his previous four bouts, the 25-year-old Mexican lost another round. Jose Gomez (12-1-5 KOs) was fighting his first fight since November 2019. Now, he has suffered his first defeat in pro boxing.
Barthelemy defeats Vittori in Round 2
Rances Barthelemy, a former champion in two divisions, defeated Gustavo Vittori in the second round of a juniorwelterweight bout. He now hopes to climb the ranks and win a third title.
Cuban fighter 36-year-old, who holds world titles at 130 and 135 respectively and was unsuccessfully challenged at 140, handled the Argentine travelman with ease to kick off the Canelo-Plant Prelims.
Barthelemy (29)-1-1, 14KOs has not boxed since April 2019, when he was in a disappointing draw with Robert Easter Jr. Vittori (25-10-1 and 12 KOs), has lost eight of his 13 previous fights.
