Jermall Charlo & Caleb Plant Return In Separate Bouts On May 31

Plant (23-2, 14 KOs), 32, has been more active than Charlo as he scored a ninth-round TKO over Trevor McCumby on the Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga fight card in September. Plant will face Jose Resendiz (15-2, 11 KOs), whose last notable fight was a TKO loss to Elijah Garcia in September 2023.

Obviously, these are interim fights for PBC to then schedule Charlo vs. Plant but just like anything else, before we get there, let’s make sure they both win their fights on May 31.

Below is the press release from PBC.

CALEB PLANT VS. ARMANDO RESENDIZ

The main event will see the former IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb Plant take on an explosive power-puncher in Armando Reséndiz in a 12-round matchup that sees Plant defend his Interim WBA Super Middleweight Title for the first time.

Plant (23-2, 14 KOs) is long established amongst boxing’s elite and has continued to show his mettle with memorable fight after memorable fight, including emphatic stoppages in each of his last two victories. He most recently vanquished the hard-hitting Trevor McCumby last September, bouncing back from a flash knockdown to stop McCumby in round nine. In his first fight with Edwards leading his corner, Plant ended an extended war of words with former champion Anthony Dirrell via a single punch in October 2022, knocking out the former two-time champion to deliver one of 2022’s most memorable KO’s. The 32-year-old Plant, who was born in Nashville, TN and now lives in Las Vegas, won the IBF title in a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Jose Uzcategui in 2019. Plant dropped Uzcategui in the second and fourth rounds and cruised to victory for the championship, before going on to successfully defending the title three times. His two lone defeats have come to two of the sports’ top fighters, as he dropped an undisputed championship match against Canelo Alvarez in November 2021 and a decision to two-time world champion David Benavidez in a March 2023 slugfest.

“I’ve been quietly grinding with my team since my last fight, and just like always, I’ve left no stone unturned in my preparation,” said Plant. “No setback and no amount of money or success can change the love I have for boxing or change my competitive spirit to be a winner. On May 31 I’m coming to put on a show and leave no doubt that I’m one of the best in the world.”

The 26-year-old Reséndiz (15-2, 11 KOs) was unbeaten in his first 12 fights after turning pro in 2018, showing impressive power with an eight-fight knockout streak. After coming up on the short end of a decision to Marcos Hernandez in September 2021, Reséndiz was impressive in stopping the former unified world champion Jarrett Hurd in the 10^th-round of their March 2023 matchup. A native of Nayarit, Mexico, Reséndiz dropped a decision to top middleweight Elijah Garcia in September 2023, before most recently bouncing back to earn a fifth-round TKO of Fernando Paliza this February.

“I’m very happy to have this opportunity on May 31,” said Reséndiz. “I’m thankful to be in a great fight once again, this time against a former world champion in the main event of a stellar night of boxing. I know this is going to be a tough fight, but I will prepare as hard as I possibly can to win and dedicate this win to my beloved Mexico.”

JERMALL CHARLO VS. THOMAS LAMANNA

In the co-main event, undefeated two-division champion Jermall Charlo will step back into the ring to face the upset-minded veteran Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna in a 10-round super middleweight showdown.

A former world champion at 154 and 160 pounds, Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) will now begin his quest to become a three-division world champion in the stacked 168-pound division. A native of Houston, Texas, Charlo first joined the ranks of world champion in 2015 with a dominant knockout of Cornelius Bundrage, and would go on to defend the title three times, including an emphatic stoppage of the then-undefeated Julian Williams in December 2016. The 34-year-old would then begin a middleweight run that saw him earn the WBC championship and add victories over top contenders including Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Matt Korobov, Hugo Centeno Jr. and more. Trained throughout his career by the renowned Ronnie Shields, Charlo’s most recent action came in November 2023 when he earned a unanimous decision triumph over Jose Benavidez Jr.

“I took the time to rebuild myself and I rebuilt my focus,” said Charlo. “I’m locked in with my team and I’m ready for this new chapter at super middleweight. The journey continues. I’m back in full effect and I can’t wait to show my fans what I’ve been working on. It’s time!”

A native of Belleville, New Jersey, LaManna (39-5-1, 18 KOs) has been a popular fighter in the northeast for years, taking on a slew of veteran contenders throughout his career. The 33-year-old lost a world title challenge against WBA Middleweight World Champion Erislandy Lara in May 2021 but has since put together an impressive nine-fight winning streak, with six of those wins coming by stoppage. LaManna’s resume includes going up against top fighters including Brian Mendoza, Jorge Cota, Antoine Douglas and Dusty Hernandez-Harrison, in addition to a draw against Gabriel Bracero and triumphs over Mike Arnaoutis and Juan Carlos Abreu.

“Facing a big name like Jermall Charlo is the kind of challenge I’ve been working for my whole life,” said LaManna. “A win against him on May 31 isn’t just a victory for me, it’s life-changing for my family, a statement to the world, and proof that I belong among the best.”