Caleb Plant has forged the sort of career that places him amongst the super middleweight division’s elite. Yet, even after snagging the IBF crown in 2019 and defending it three times before losing said crown to Canelo Alvarez, the betting public firmly believes that he’s biting off more than he can chew.

In just over a week, the 30-year-old will square off against current WBC interim tag holder, David Benavidez. Although several in boxing circles expect Plant to make things difficult for the hard-hitting star, at some point, there’s an overwhelming belief that Plant (22-1, 13 KOs) will eventually wilt underneath the pressure of Benavidez.

For the fleet-of-foot Plant, the notion that Benavidez will emerge victoriously is a laughable but predictable narrative. Having sauntered into big-time fights with little to no expectations of actually winning, Plant concludes that the role he’s currently being asked to play suits him perfectly.

“Yea, I like taking on the title as an underdog,” said Plant to a group of reporters during a recent interview. “I feel like that’s something that I’ve been in not just my career but my life.”

Much like his showdown against Benavidez, Plant was viewed as a sizable underdog heading into his bouts against both Alvarez and Jose Uzcategui. Of course, prior to coming up short vs. Alvarez, Plant performed just fine when the odds were stacked against him in 2019.

Although Uzcategui desperately attempted to defend his IBF trinket, Plant would hear none of it, dropping the former titlist on multiple occasions before rolling to a wide unanimous decision victory on the night.

Considering his background and the ups and downs that Plant was forced to deal with as a youngster, he’s hopeful that one day, fighters who come from a familiar upbringing, won’t allow their detractors to dictate what they can and cannot do.

“You know, showing the world that just because you may come from a certain place or look a certain way, that doesn't mean that you can't accomplish great things.”