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Super middleweight title combatants Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant trade blows at heated press conference

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Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant got physical after words were exchanged between the pair.
Camera IconCanelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant got physical after words were exchanged between the pair. Credit: AP

Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant have traded blows at their news conference to promote their upcoming super middleweight title unification bout, with the exchange leaving the American with a cut under his right eye.

The two champions scrapped after trading verbal barbs during the ceremonial face-off before the news conference began in the garden of the Beverly Hilton.

Apparently in response to a comment from Plant about Alvarez’s mother, the Mexican superstar reacted by forcefully shoving his foe who stumbled backwards.

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Plant then stepped forward and threw a left hook at Alvarez, who dodged it and threw an open left hand followed by a right to Plant’s face.

One blow struck Plant’s sunglasses, which jammed into his cheek and caused the cut.

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The fighters’ camps eventually separated them, but Plant was left dabbing at the blood on his cheek.

He eventually put on his sunglasses for a frosty, combative news conference in which Plant repeatedly called out Alvarez for his doping violations.

Canelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant
Camera IconCanelo Alvarez and Caleb Plant got physical after words were exchanged between the pair. Credit: AP

“You’re a drug cheat,” Plant said.

“Tell me something, Oscar Valdez can pop positive for something and not get suspended for six months, but he can pop positive for something and get suspended for six months, but somehow he’s a drug cheat?

“You’re a cheater.”

Alvarez served a six-month suspension in 2018 after failing two tests after clenbuterol was found in his system.

The 31-year-old Mexican, who is recognised as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, denied that he had knowingly ingested the drug, but accepted the ban.

“Don’t make excuses,” Alvarez said.

“You are not on my level.”

Alvarez (56-1-2, 38 KOs) will risk his WBC, WBA and WBO super middleweight titles against Plant (21-0, 12 KOs), the unbeaten IBF champion, when they meet November 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

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