"I was someone who no one would want to be. But when I got to go to the boxing gym, even at a young age, I was somebody who everybody wanted to be. It was almost like a drug that I became addicted to."
These are the words of former IBF super middleweight world champion, Caleb Plant.
The American said this in an interview with ESPN in reference to the abject poverty in which he grew up.
Plant was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and has recalled his childhood a few times. "You can use your imagination as to how it was, he explained to The Guardian.
"There were times in the winter when we had no money for propane [gas] and we wouldn’t have heating. We’d just bundle up, put your sweats on, put your hoodie on, grab a bit of blanket and stay warm.
"I can still remember those days and it is a big motivation factor that I keep in mind to this day. It makes me keep on working so I don’t end up back in that situation.”
He added: "It made me really upset. Why do we have to be poor? Why can't I have them clothes? Why can't I have them shoes? Why can't I live in that house? I would be in my room, sometimes emotionally upset, and thinking, 'I'm not going to be like this forever'."
Inside his house is now is his impressive trainer collection on his 'shoe wall' where there are a number of sought after trainers, including limited edition Air Jordan's.
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"I've always been into fashion and sneakers," he explained to SHOWTIME Sports.
"I never went too crazy, but I definitely spent a few dollars. It's obviously not all about the material things, but I have things I dreamt about as a kid. Sometimes I sit back on the back. Even when I had nothing or owed money, I felt like I knew this day was coming where I am in the financial situation I am."
After finding boxing as a young boy, Plant's father marked out a ring with tape on the floor so he could practice and 'Sweethands' admitted boxing saved his family.
"It gave us direction when we had none. My dad got this old gym and it gave him a place to go. He had grown up fighting and he liked martial arts so to have that outlet helped so much. He was full of life again.”
Plant's talent was immediately noticeable and had an amateur record of 97 wins and 20 losses before turning over to the professional ranks in 2014.
A year prior, Plant had a baby called Alia, but she was born with a rare condition that meant she would have up to 150 seizures a day.
Her life was tragically cut short 19 months after being born, with Plant five fights into his career. However, he had promised his daughter he would become a world champion.
And in 2019 he did just that when, despite being the underdog, he out-boxed Jose Uzcategui to win by unanimous decision and become the IBF world champion at 168lbs.
“I’ve worked my whole entire life for this, 17 years straight,” an emotional Plant said in his post-fight interview.
“I buried my daughter in the process of trying to get this belt.
“I promised her that I’d become a world champion and that I’d bring her this title, and that’s exactly what I’m gonna go back to Tennessee and do.”
In this moment of elation, however, once again tragedy struck for Plant, as two months later his mother, who struggled with substance dependency issues, was shot by police after she threatened an officer with a knife.
This would be too much to cope with for most people, but Plant uses these horrible moments in his life as motivation. “Thinking of them both every day, before every fight, drives me on.
"Losing both my daughter and my mother was real painful but it’s made me stronger. Fighting for their memory is a motivating factor for me.”
Since then, Plant has lost his world title when stopped by Canelo in the eleventh round of their 2021 fight.
Never one to give up, Plant bounced back a year later, knocking out Anthony Dirrell and now he faces a clash with bitter rival, David Benavidez.
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The build-up to this fight has had a real edge to it, with both men having to be separated by security at their pre-fight press conference.
But, if Plant can win this fight, he could earn himself another shot at Canelo and the chance to become the undisputed super middleweight world champion.
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