Plant captures first world title Messi nets 400th La Liga goal
UNBEATEN Caleb Plant won his first world title on Sunday, b e a t i n g c h a mpi o n J o s e Uzcateg ui by a una nimous decision in an Internationa l Boxing Federation (IBF) world super middleweight f ight.
A mer ica n Pla nt k nocked Uzcategui down twice as he dominated the early rounds t hen faded over t he last few but managed to hold on for t he crow n at t he Microsof t 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 t his,” said Plant. “I bur ied my daug hter i n t he process to get t his belt.”
Venezuelan Uzcategui was defending his title for the first t i me a f ter i n her it i ng it i n July.
Br i t a i n’s Ja mes De Ga le v ac at e d t he I BF t i t l e s i x months ago to pursue biggermoney fights than his mand a t e d b o u t a g a i n s t Uzcategui.
Plant, 26, improved to 18-0 w it h 10 k nockout s wh i le Uzcateg ui dropped to 27-3 with 23 k nockouts.
Pla nt k nocked t he cha mpion down in the second and fourth rounds.
This was the first time Plant had foug ht for a world t it le and just the second time he has gone the full 12 rounds. Last Febr ua r y he ea r ned a 12-rou nd deci sion aga i nst Mexico’s Rogelio Medina.
W BC t i t l e hol de r Dav i d Benavidez congratulated the t wo on s oc i a l med i a but quick ly added: “Good enterta i ni ng f ig ht, but NONE of t his g uys a re on my Level.” LIONEL Messi’s total of 400 La Liga goals is “monstrous”, according to Barcelona coach ErnestoValverde, who described his Argentine superstar as belonging to “another galaxy”.
Messi hit his quadruple century in the 53rd minute of Barca’s win over Eibar on Sunday to extend his record as the division’s all-time top scorer.
He collected the ball off Luis Suarez and drove it into the bottom corner at the Camp Nou to reach the historic landmark after 435 matches.
Barca went on to win the game 3-0, with Suarez twice on target.
“It’s monstrous,” said Valverde, after the match.
“Messi is an extraordinary player because he is not only a scorer. It’s everything that he creates around him too. His numbers are stratospheric, incredible. He is from another galaxy.”
Messi has finished top scorer in La Liga five times. He has 17 goals already this season.
It is 14 years since Messi scored his first La Liga goal and the 31-year-old Argentine has gone on to build an enormous lead at the top of the league’s all-time scoring chart.
Cristiano Ronaldo remains the second highest scorer with 311 goals in 292 games while Spain’s Telmo Zarra is third with 251 goals in 278 games.