Caleb Plant turned a near-disastrous night into a showcase performance.

The former IBF super middleweight titlist overcame a fourth-round knockdown to break down and stop Trevor McCumby in the ninth round. A swarm of punches left McCumby defenseless and prompted the end at 2:59 of round nine Saturday evening at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Plant—an Ashland City, Tennessee-raised talent now based in Vegas—picked up the interim version of the WBA super middleweight title.

“We got him the fuck outta here just like I said I was gonna do,” Plant said after the win.

McCumby stormed out to a strong start. Plant hadn’t fought since a March 2023 points loss to David Benavidez and showed signs of ring rust. At times, he also showed signs of uncertainty of his next move. Arizona’s McCumby was able to impose his will during several moments in the early rounds.

Plant was fortunate to avoid a knockdown call late in the second. McCumby was dialed in with his left hook, which landed throughout the round. Plant hit the deck shortly before the bell seconds after taking one such shot. Referee Allen Huggins waved it off as a slip.

A similar sequence transpired early in the third. Plant was once again on the canvas after McCumby landed a punch, but again ruled a slip. It didn’t deter McCumby, who continued to take the fight to his bigger and vastly more experienced foe.

McCumby was finally credited with a knockdown in the fourth. A left hook landed on Plant’s right biceps. The Las Vegas-based boxer lost his balance as another left hook hit his shoulder and he fell through the ropes. The sequence was ruled a knockdown, which forced Plant to play catch-up.

“He caught me pulling me out,” Plant admitted afterward. “I was going back. He hit my shoulder and I lost my balance. It was what it was.”

Plant was able to get it back in blood.

The tide drastically changed in Plant’s favor after he absorbed the advice of noted trainer Stephen “Breadman” Edwards. The urge to not fall for McCumby’s shoulder roll was followed by Plant, who forced an inside fight. McCumby struggled to adjust as Plant chopped away at the body and also landed several right hands upstairs.

Plant played to his adoring local crowd throughout the sixth round. McCumby bore the look of a battered foe as Plant grew in confidence.

A last stand was taken by McCumby in a competitive seventh. It wasn’t enough to deter Plant, however.

The clock finally struck midnight on McCumby’s Cinderella story in the ninth. Plant pressed the action and was confident that he would deliver the stoppage, despite his modest percentage in that category. McCumby was bloodied and pinned along the ropes as Plant unloaded a barrage of punches. The bell sounded just as Huggins jumped in to protect McCumby from absorbing any more punishment.

A mild protest was presented by McCumby’s corner before they were resigned to the boxer’s fate.

It was a valiant effort by the previously unbeaten but mostly untested McCumby, who fell to 28-1 (21 knockouts). He came in on the heels of a ten-round win over Christopher Pearson earlier this year.

McCumby previously recorded a career-best first-round knockout of Donovan George. It was converted to a No-Contest, however, when McCumby tested positive for a banned substance following their Nov. 2016 meeting. The matter was under litigation, which pushed out the ruling until the following September.

A nine-month suspension followed, during which time McCumby strongly considered retirement. He had a change of heart and won five in a row since his 2018 return prior to Saturday’s defeat.

Meanwhile, Plant can look to the future though not before he reminded the world of his life in the present.

“Word on the street is that I can’t fight. I think I showed that tonight,” noted Plant. “We got back up and went to work and we got the stoppage.”

Plant improves to 23-2 (13 KOs). He did so through a blistering offensive performance. He landed 207-of-385 punches for a blistering 53.8%, compared to 99of-305 (32.5%) for McCumby.

It was Plant’s first victory since his Oct. 2022 one-punch knockout of Anthony Dirrell. The feat was recognized by many outlets as the 2022 Knockout of the Year.

It came eleven months after Plant lost to Alvarez via eleventh-round knockout in their Nov. 2021 full unification bout to end his IBF title reign. His win over Dirrell was followed by a quick ring return, though in a loss to Benavidez followed by a career-long 18-month layoff. His extended ring absence since the Benavidez defeat ended forced him out of The Ring’s 168-pound rankings. He was ranked number-three prior to that point.

Plant-McCumby was part of the Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga PBC on Prime Pay-Per-View undercard.

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