RINGSIDE REPORT: Caleb Plant Wins IBF 168 Title

Premier Boxing Champions and TGB Promotions put together their first boxing event in 2019, which was part of the four-year, multi-platform agreement with Fox Sports that started last month. The action on Sunday, Jan. 13 took place at LA's Microsoft Theater, and Caleb Plant had the joint jumping as he took it to IBF 168 champ Jose Uzcategui.

This fight was originally scheduled to happen in August, however “Sweet Hands” Plant broke his left hand during training which forced the fight to be rescheduled to this evening.

Main Event: Jose Uzcategui vs Caleb Plant

Jose Uzcategui (28-2) was looking to be the aggressor however to everyone’s surprise, it was Caleb Plant (17-0) who grabbed that role. In the first round, Plant caught Uzcategui with a clean right hand that caught him by surprise. In the second, Plant caught Uzcategui off balance with a counter left hook which sent him to the canvas for the first knockdown of the fight. In the fourth, Plant again caught Uzcategui with the counter left which resulted in another knockdown. The middle rounds saw more of Plant utilizing his legs and slick defense to get his offense on the champ. In the ninth, Uzcategui rocked Plant but was unsuccessful in capitalizing on it. Rounds ten through twelve, Plant regained his composure and finished the fight strong. In the end, Caleb Plant scored a unanimous decision and is now the new IBF super middleweight Champion. The scores were 116-110, 116-110, 115-111, for the fighter from Tennessee.

Co-Main Event: Joey Spencer vs. Brandon Harder

Joey Spencer (5-0)  started the first round with a disciplined left jab and a shoulder roll of sorts, prior to throwing the right. Towards the end of round one, Spencer landed an overhand right that knocked down Brandon Harder (2-1). The second round, Spencer was setting up the right by leading with the left jab. Harder was once again knocked down and when he got up, Spencer went in for the finish.  The referee stopped the fight as Harder had enough. Joey Spencer, age 18, showed tonight why he was the PBC prospect of the year. Harder, at 39, wasn't able to show the kid that seasoning betters skill set.

Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa vs Moises “Chucky” Flores

Last time we saw Brandon Figueroa (17-0)  on FS1, he knocked out his opponent with a vicious uppercut in the last round.  His opponent on this night, Moises Flores (25-1), was coming off of a unanimous decision loss to WBA champion Daniel Roman.

Brandon went with his vintage body attack early and it was clear Flores was going to have some issues with that throughout the fight, as long as it would last. The second round saw some more relentless pressure by Figueroa with lefts and rights to the body. In the third, Figueroa scored a knockdown with a body punch with Flores in serious trouble. Figueroa went in for the kill and threw a barrage of punches before the referee stopped the fight.

Prelim Main Event: Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux vs. Giovanni Delgado

Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-1) was feeling out Giovanni Delgado (16-8) by throwing a few punches early just to see his reaction. Rigondeaux was setting up traps all along to land the over hand left which he was successful with at times within the round. Right before the bell, Rigondeaux landed a big over hand left sending Delgado to the canvas and the referee called the fight as he was unable to continue. (ED NOTE: Video showed a launch that didn't seem to warrant such a reaction but only Delgado knows for sure how discombobulated the Rigo shot actually made him.)

Lindolfo Delgado vs. Sergio Lopez

Lindolfo Delgado (7-0) faced Sergio Lopez (22-12-1) and it was a one sided affair that ended early. Delgado, who is trained by Robert Garcia, was too much for Lopez and after a body shot in the third, Lopez did not want to continue after he took a knee. Lindolfo Delgado wins by third round KO.

Ahmed Elbiali  vs. Allan Green

Ahmed Elbiali's (17-1)  fight with Allan Green (33-5) was over before it started as Green had no answers for Elbiali’s offense. Elbiali sent Green to the canvas in all three rounds before finishing him off with a overhand right.

It will be interesting to see how this hard hitting light heavyweight is matched in the future as he says he wants a crack at all of the current champions.

In the past, there haven’t been too many Sunday evening boxing events on network television.  With football season being over in February, there are more shows currently scheduled for a Sunday night, which alleviates some of the boxing clutter that can occur from time to time.  Tonight’s card was entertaining and shows the potential that Sunday evenings can have to become a fight night just as much as a Saturday.  This evening was a great start to 2019 for not only the fighters that were victorious on the card but also for Premier Boxing Champions and TGB promotions.