Plant (23-3, 14 KOs) has lost three of his last five fights dating back to 2021 and will have gone a full year without a fight by May. The wins in that stretch came against an aging Anthony Dirrell and Trevor McCumby, who didn’t do much to maintain his position.
At 33, Plant is no longer talked about as part of the top group at super middleweight as he once was, and the momentum that carried him into the Canelo fight has thinned.
If the goal is to keep Sheeraz’s momentum going after a massive payday, like the Canelo or Crawford fights that Turki Alalshikh has teased for late 2026, Plant is the ultimate “safe” name.
Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) is moving in the opposite direction. Edgar Berlanga’s stoppage pushed him to 168 in the title picture, and he has now been ordered to face Alem Begic for the vacant WBO belt, with his name near the top of the rankings. The focus, at least publicly, is on that title path rather than voluntary fights.
The reality is that Plant has become a bit of a “name-brand gatekeeper.” He has enough pedigree to make a win look impressive on paper, but his actual win-loss record against top talent is thin. His stock took a major hit in May 2025 when he lost a split decision to Armando Resendiz, a fight that was widely seen as a major upset.
Plant brings name value and previous championship pedigree, but without the same level of threat as some of the division’s more consistent performers. Fighters like Christian Mbilli, Osleys Iglesias and Lester Martinez represent a tougher night, built on consistent output and pressure Sheeraz has yet to deal with over a full fight.
Much like the Berlanga fight, Plant presents a high-profile target with a style Sheeraz is physically equipped to break down. Sheeraz proved that he can handle what many fans consider a “hype job” by walking through Berlanga in five rounds; Plant offers more technical skill but significantly less durability at this point.
“I think he’s a good fighter,” Plant said of Sheeraz. “I think he hits hard, I think he has a lot of heart, but I’ve seen some things in his game that I can capitalize on.”
There are other routes Sheeraz can take. A second fight with Carlos Adames would have its own appeal after the reaction to their first meeting in Riyadh, where many felt the result should have been a win for Adames.
After the Adames draw, Sheeraz’s team is likely looking for an opponent who is technically sound enough to look “dangerous” but physically faded enough to warrant a stoppage.
With Diego Pacheco recently pulling out of the scheduled WBO title fight against Sheeraz to focus on a new trainer, the way is wide open for a volunteer “big name”. Plant fits the Riyadh Season model perfectly: a recognizable American face who can be marketed as a “former world champion” to help build Sheeraz’s brand in the US
Looking at Plant’s recent form, it’s hard to see him as anything more than a strategic stepping stone for Hamzah. He hasn’t had a truly dominant win against an elite, top-tier opponent in years, and at 33, his best days are clearly behind him.
