Caleb Plant’s Journey from Struggle to Success
LAS VEGAS — In the early 2000s, a young Caleb Plant faced numerous challenges. Relying on social services for food and witnessing foreclosures at an early age, he often moved from one trailer to another, never experiencing stability. To offer himself and his sister Madeline something more nourishing than the canned goods from the Bethesda Center in Ashland City, Tennessee, he saved small amounts of money from school.
At just 9 years old, Plant’s hardships were starkly different from those of his peers who played with PlayStations and Xboxes. “Some families are middle class, and some are below middle class … we were below that,” he recounted to Uncrowned ahead of his latest fight.
On Saturday, Plant will face Jose Armando Resendiz in a Premier Boxing Champions event at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. His name has previously adorned billboards along the famed Las Vegas Strip, making him a well-known figure in the fight capital. Now married with a growing family, he is also investing in the NFL, real estate, and stocks, alongside an impressive sneaker collection, a stark contrast to his earlier life in Ashland City.
During his school years, Plant often found himself doodling instead of focusing on assignments. When a teacher questioned his lack of engagement, he responded, “I’m practicing my autograph because I’m going to be a world champion one day.” Despite her doubts, telling him to have a ‘Plan B’, Plant was unwavering. He excelled in football but soon discovered boxing was his true calling, insisting he didn’t need a backup plan.
Nearly two decades later, Plant had achieved remarkable success, winning the IBF super middleweight championship and even bringing a fight to his home state in 2020. His teacher, who once doubted him, attended the match and recalled, “Damn, if he didn’t go out and do it.” Life, however, continued to present challenges, including the heartbreaking loss of his 19-month-old daughter in 2015, which coincided with various personal crises, including the loss of his apartment.
Reflecting on his past, Plant remarked that acknowledging his hardships can feel overwhelming, but he refuses to let his past define him. Instead, he views his journey through adversity as a badge of honor, carrying it into every fight, including his upcoming bout against Resendiz. “I made it through that. It didn’t break me,” he stated.
Plant’s message resonates today as it did years ago: “Poor is poor, regardless of the year.” He advises anyone facing challenges to focus on honing a skill they love rather than merely chasing money. “You have to create skill and a way for people to recognize that skill so the money comes to you,” he explained. Looking ahead, he aims to handle his upcoming fight and continue to forge a successful path, with aspirations for a major fight at the end of the year.
