Plant beats Uzcategui to win IBF super middleweight title

LOS ANGELES: Unbeaten Caleb Plant won his first world title on Sunday, beating champion Jose Uzcategui by a unanimous decision in a International Boxing Federation world super middleweight fight.

American Plant knocked Uzcategui down twice as he dominated the early rounds then faded over the last few but managed to hold on for the crown at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Heading into the bout, Plant said he was fighting in memory of his 19-month-old daughter, Alia, who died in 2015. She was born with a medical condition that causes seizures.

A tearful Plant was overcome by emotion after the win.

“I have worked my life, 17 years for this,” said Plant. “I buried my daughter in the process to get this belt.”

Venezuelan Uzcategui was defending his title for the first time after inheriting it in July.

Britain’s James DeGale vacated the IBF title six months ago to pursue bigger-money fights than his mandated bout against Uzcategui.

Plant, 26, improved to 180 with 10 knockouts while Uzcategui dropped to 27-3 with 23 knockouts.

Plant knocked the champion down in the second and fourth rounds.

This was the first time Plant had fought for a world title and just the second time he has gone the full 12 rounds. Last February he earned a 12-round decision against Mexico’s Rogelio Medina.

WBC titleholder David Benavidez congratulated the two on social media but quickly added, “Good entertaining fight, but NONE of this guys are on my Level.” - AFP ADELAIDE: South Africa’s Daryl Impey is bidding to become the first cyclist to win back-to-back titles at Australia’s Tour Down Under as the race gets under way in sweltering conditions around Adelaide on Tuesday.

Mitchelton-Scott’s Impey won last year’s UCI season-opening event on countback from Australia’s Richie Porte for the biggest victory of his career, and went on to have his most successful season in 2018.

No one has won consecutive titles in the 20 years of the Tour Down Under. But with only one arduous uphill stage finish this year, where last year he finished second behind Porte, Impey is primed for a repeat.

“Australia has and always will be important for us,” Impey said. “We would definitely like to win the Tour Down Under again and we are arriving to try to do just that.

“For me personally, it would be great to win back-to-back. No one has done that.”

The six-stage race takes place in the south of the country on the streets of Adelaide and through the surrounding countryside.

With extreme temperatures of 40 Celsius (104F) and above forecast for much of the event, race organisers along with team and rider representatives have made the decision to modify the race route for Tuesday’s opening stage. - AFP