Although Anthony Dirrell often scowls at his opponents, the former two-time super middleweight belt holder possesses a stoic demeanor. Yet, as his showdown against Caleb Plant nears, Dirrell’s blood begins to boil when discussing his upcoming foe.
With the two hurling countless derogatory words at one another, Dirrell (34-2-2, 25 KOs) believes he’s found much-needed motivation. While it’s customary for any particular boxer to not only hone their skills but also carefully put together a game plan to employ on the night, Dirrell reveals that his approach will be simple but catastrophically effective.
“He's just one of those guys that I wanna really f--- up,” said a fired-up Dirrell during a recent virtual presser. “That’s the task at hand, just getting in there and f------ him up.”
Following a brutal two-fight stretch in which Dirrell was unable to secure a victory from 2019-2021, the 37-year-old contender got back to his winning ways at the tail end of 2021. On November 6th, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, Dirrell recorded a jaw-dropping knockout win over Marcos Hernandez.
In contrast to Dirrell’s recent victory, Plant’s once spotless record was recently sullied at the hands of Canelo Alvarez. Determined to work his way back up the super middleweight ladder, Plant (21-1, 12 KOs) has vowed to push Dirrell towards retirement. Ultimately, the Flint, Michigan, native has turned a blind eye to Plant’s verbal threats as he assesses his overall skillset.
Admittedly, Dirrell acknowledges that Plant’s steady boxing ability is somewhat impressive. Nevertheless, having shared the ring with countless top contenders with various prowess in the boxing department, Dirrell is completely convinced that he has more than enough in the tank to nullify what Plant brings to the table.
“He’s a nice boxer but I fought them kind of guys before. It’s nothing, it’s just another guy in front of me.”