Let's say Canelo beats plant, goes undisputed, then vacates and goes to 175.... Who emerges as the top dog at 168, do we get unified/undisputed champ... Or will the division go back to having 4 champs that don't want it with each other? Obviously Smith has gone to 175, BJS seems like he's done. Who knows what type of beating plant will receive, but you would expect him and David Benavidez to be the main players. Thoughts?
168 will be desolate forever because of Canelo. Ended BJS' career. Beat Smith badly and Smith is 175 lber anymore. Will create permanent damages on Plant. Only Benavidez will be good fighter there.
Even if or when most likely Canelo beats Plant. I would still give Plant a good shot against everyone else including Benavidez. Benavidez has a lot of defensive problems and isn’t a 1 punch guy, definitely more of an accumulation puncher. He might just get the same business Uzcat got. Maybe we see some good younger guys come through or Charlo moves up and takes over. I’d say Andrade could maybe too. Just don’t really rate him as high as Charlo because he doesn’t quite have the competition under him.
I agree, the talent pool at 168 has really gone down lately. It was so good a decade or so ago with Ward, Kessler, Froch etc. But now it's a limbo land. I fully expect to see Benevidez at 175 soon. He has been struggling to make weight for awhile.
168 is graveyard division situated in a remote barren wasteland. Even the cockroaches hauled ass from that desolate godforsaken dust bowl long ago.
If Canelo vacates then a bunch of guys will get shots WBC probably Benavidez vs someone like Lemieux WBA Morrell is already the "regular" champion IBF Shvedenko and Yerbossynuly are the two highest rated contenders, but maybe Plant gets a shot back at his old belt (if he loses) WBO Zack parker vs Danny Jacobs? Billy Joe Saunders? Berlanga?
I think that Canelo might make a defense of the 168 undisputed against Charlo who will move up. I reckon this could be part of the deal with Haymon and Showtime PPV
