IBF orders Jose Uzcategui vs. Caleb Plant

As expected, the IBF have elevated interim super middleweight champ Jose Uzcategui to full champion after James DeGale vacated the title yesterday. They have also ordered the Venezuelan to begin negotiations with his highest-ranked contender, #2 Caleb Plant, for his first title defense.

Uzcategui (27-2, 23 KO) beat Andre Dirrell into submission in March, avenging his DQ loss from the year before. “Bolivita” is plenty entertaining and, despite regularly weighing in below the super middleweight limit, looks as though his power carried up in its entirety from his time at 160.

Plant (17-0, 10 KO) is clearly talented, but is just a smidgen less watchable. He’s gone to four consecutive decisions, losing just five rounds (on at least one scorecard) in the process, and doesn’t seem overly concerned with getting the finish. Here’s hoping Uzcategui can drag a proper scrap out of him.

Ideally, we’ll get some unification talks once this and George Groves vs. Callum Smith are done. Fingers crossed.