Caleb Plant defends his IBF super middleweight title against undefeated Mike Lee on Saturday, July 20. Here’s what they had to say before fight night to the media.
IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant (18-0, 10 KOs) defends his title for the first time against undefeated contender Mike Lee (21-0, 11 KOs). Their bout is on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Keith Thurman clash but will be featured on FOX on Saturday, July 20, at 7 p.m. Plant and Lee spoke to the media via a conference call on Monday, July 1.
There’s no love lost between Plant and Lee. Plant was highly critical and confrontational towards Lee during their press tour. Plant and Lee got the chance to air their thoughts to the press before the fight. Here are the highlights of the media call.
Mike Lee’s comments to the media:
Question: You had an unusual route into the sport, having graduated from Notre Dame with a great GPA. Just wondering if you could talk about what your goals were when you turned pro and how this fight fits into that.
Lee: The ultimate goal of any fighter or athlete is to compete at the highest level, World Title, Super Bowl, whatever that may be. For me, this is a dream come true. I’m excited because you work so hard and go through all the phases of training camps, and injuries and surgeries, and all that s–t to get to this moment here. It’s the pinnacle of the sport, and that’s where I belong, and I’m excited to show everybody that on July 20.
Q: This is your first fight at super middleweight, I believe. What led to the decision to take a fight at super middleweight?
My team and I have been talking about super middleweight, if there was an opportunity for a big fight for a while. For me, it didn’t come out of left-field, but when I got the phone call about this specific opportunity, I was all about it. I knew 168 wouldn’t be a problem, and I knew I could bring my power and speed down to this weight class and rehydrate the right way. When a World Title [opportunity] comes, you say yes. Especially one that I know I can win. I knew 168 was a comfortable weight for me, and here we are.
Q: If I’m not mistaken, I believe this is the second longest layoff of your pro career having not fought for 13 months. Has it been easy shaking off the ring rust during camp with the sparring and the training for this fight?
Yeah, it really has been, but like I said, we knew about this fight a long time ago. This wasn’t one of these things where I got a call four weeks before or six weeks before. I’ve been training. I’ve been busy. We’re waiting for that phone call. That was really it, the right opportunity. I’m really grateful for my team and this opportunity right here. We’ve had a long time to prepare for this.
Q: As far as your preparation, you said you had a lot of time to get ready for this fight. Have you had a standard eight-week training camp, or has it extended beyond that?
Yeah, it extended beyond that, but you know, we didn’t want to burn out, so it wasn’t like we were boxing every single day. We were getting ready in terms of [getting] strength and conditioning in order. We weren’t sparring 12 weeks out or something, but here and there, just getting the timing and rhythm down. I think that really helps as you ease into it. I think too often fighters come into an eight-week training camp and they’re 25 pounds overweight, or they’re not in shape yet. We had the luxury of coming into camp in shape. Camp wasn’t about getting into shape necessarily and losing weight as much as it was just fine-tuning things and keeping the rhythm.
Caleb Plant’s comments to the media:
Question: As you are approaching the first title defense, you’re in a position where you have the World Title, and Mike Lee is gunning for you. Whereas in your last fight, you were the challenger coming in for Jose Uzcategui’s title. From your perspective, has there been any change in mentality approaching a fight being the champion compared to being the challenger?
Plant: Absolutely not. If he thinks that I’m not gunning for him as I was gunning for Jose, then he’s sadly mistaken. The mentality has not changed. I don’t feel like I’m the hunted. I feel still like I’m hunting. I’m not satisfied. It was not the goal to become a World Champion. It was just a goal. I’m 18-0. I’m only 26. I’m just getting started. I’m gunning for him more than I was gunning for Jose.
Q: Being the IBF Super Middleweight Champion there’s a lot of responsibility to carry that crown. Do you feel any added pressure, not just inside the ring, but outside the ring character-wise of holding the responsibility of that title?
I’ve always tried to carry myself as a champion, talk as a champion, train as a champion. I’m not a grown man. I’m a growing man. I’m going to continue to become better in the ring. I’m going to continue to become a better man outside of the ring. Thus far, I think I’ve done a good job of handling that responsibility. I think if I continue to do what I’ve done, I think I will be on the right path.
Q: In some of the pressers, I know that some words were exchanged and there were some critical remarks about Mike Lee. Do you feel any animosity towards him personally? What are some of your perspectives on him as a person?
I think that Mike Lee is not someone who tells the whole truth. I have the inside scoop on a couple of different things, so I don’t know. I have the same amount of respect for him as anybody I’ve stepped in the ring with which is none. If you want me to respect your fighting skills, then you got to make me do that. I’m not just going to give you the respect that you want. July 20 when the bell rings if he wants me to respect anything in his arsenal then he’s got to make me do that because he’s not getting it.
To me, boxing is life or death. I don’t care about nobody in his village. I don’t care who lives there. I’m coming to burn it down. Unless he’s looking to do the same thing with me, it’s either going to be a long night or a short night.
Q: As far as the inside scoop, would you be able to elaborate on some of those things?
Come July 20, just tune in. Something that my father taught me is, the truth belongs to everybody and lies belongs to individuals. I’m going to give you all the truth July 20.
You can catch Plant vs. Lee on Saturday, July 20 on Fox at 7 p.m. ET.