Avila Perspective, Chap. 122: Caleb Plant, Dan Goossen and the Shrine Auditorium

Nashville’s Caleb Plant finds himself in Los Angeles once again. The city of Angels has an adoring effect on the super middleweight champion.

Plant (20-0, 12 KOs) defends the IBF super middleweight world title against Caleb Truax (31-4-2, 19 KOs) on Saturday Jan. 30, at the Shrine Auditorium. PBS on FOX will televise. Ironically, the first time Plant fought professionally was in Los Angeles.

Though “Sweet Hands” Plant originally hails from Nashville, Tenn. and now lives in Las Vegas, his pro debut took place in Los Angeles in May 2014, mere blocks from where he fights a few days from now. I remember it clearly.

When Plant (pictured) made his pro debut at the USC Galen Center it was also the last time many in the boxing world saw the late great promoter Dan Goossen. The popular Goossen was co-promoting a boxing card with Don King that was headlined by the WBC heavyweight world title rematch between Bermane Stiverne and Chris Arreola.

Goossen was beloved by most boxing journalists and his departure left a severe void in prizefighting. The California native never disclosed his illness that took his life in September 2014. The boxing world was shocked to hear of his death due to cancer.

On that last Goossen fight card, Plant opened up the show with a first-round knockout win. It took a mere 47 seconds to end the fight with Travis Davidson that afternoon.

Who knew that Plant would become world champion and that Los Angeles would be the city where he dethroned then IBF titlist Jose Uzcategui by unanimous decision. That was two years ago and once again Plant finds himself in L.A. city limits ready to perform once again. This time at the historic Shrine Auditorium.

Ironically, the Shrine Auditorium has experienced many high voltage performances including the Academy Award ceremonies, major concerts and various boxing and MMA events. I saw Cris Cyborg for the first time at the Shrine many years ago where she dominated her opponent. But drug testing from that fight resulted in positive results for PEDs. It was her first red mark. More would come but she continues to be able to fight despite multiple PED infractions.

A couple of years ago I saw Amanda Serrano make her MMA debut in the same venue. The seven-division boxing world champion fought to a draw in a brutal MMA fight.

The late Michael Jackson was severely burned while making a commercial for Pepsi in the Shrine Auditorium. Watching his hair burn was a gruesome scene. He recovered physically but mentally it must have been horrible.

Inside that old Moorish style building built in 1926, I once saw ballet’s great Mikhail Baryshnikov perform for the American Ballet Company. I would later run into Baryshnikov at the Robertson Newsstand where I was working in the late 1980s. He needed to know how to reach Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, so I gave him directions. He was surprised I recognized him. This was before he began making movies. He had incredible leaping ability when he performed ballet. I’m sure he could dunk. I almost asked him if he ever played basketball but decided not to.

Boxing or prizefighting reclaims the Shrine Auditorium once again.

Plant

Here we go on Saturday with Plant vying to become a bigger force in a weight class that has suddenly evolved into a major division thanks to the redhead Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

Few expect Plant to experience a severe test against the old veteran Truax but you just never know in boxing. Anything can happen and usually does.

When it comes to skills Plant has most of the tools in abundance. Blessed with quick hands, agility and punching power the Las Vegas-based fighter can match speed with anybody.

But can he take a punch?

So far Plant has yet to face anyone remotely seen as a 50-50 opponent. Will he be able to recover from a blow by other elite super middleweights roaming the landscape like a David Benavidez for one?

Asking to face Canelo is one thing, but getting hit by the Mexican powerhouse is an entirely different matter. Even Benavidez packs a punch. Whether Plant can match blows with any of these other super middleweights remains to be seen.

On Saturday we get to see if Plant can remain in the Canelo sweepstakes.

Canelo

Speaking of the Mexican redhead. Canelo (54-1-2, 36 KOs) definitely has a firm date to fight Turkey’s Avni Yildirim (21-2, 12 KOs) on Feb, 27, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.

Apparently the four-division world champion is serious about fighting as often as possible in 2021. It’s a missing element for most of the elite fighters the past 20 years.

You can never make up for lost time and you can never get back your prime. When it’s gone, it’s gone.

I think of Andre Ward and others taking one or two years off and shake my head at the decisions to forego fighting to wait out a contract. You are only 25 once.

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