David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant fight results, highlights: 'Mexican Monster' brutalizes foe in decision win

Benavidez inflicted a ton of damage over the course of 12 rounds to end the bitter rivalry with Plant

After years of bad blood and trash talk, David Benavidez and Caleb Plant finally stepped in the ring to settle their rivalry on Saturday night. After 12 rounds of action, Benavidez had his hand raised by unanimous decision, taking home bragging rights and his WBC interim super middleweight championship.

Plant got off to a strong start, utilizing the large ring to stay out of danger and lash out with quick jabs and combinations. In the early rounds, Benavidez was more offensively passive than is his usual style.

The patient approach worked out, however, as Benavidez slowly chipped away at Plant before fully taking over the fight starting with a big flurry that hurt Plant in Round 8. Plant may have actually escaped being finished in that round thanks to help from referee Kenny Bayless, who was a source of controversy for most of the fight, issuing several warnings to Benavidez while never warning Plant for excessive clinching.

With Plant hurt and Benavidez looking for the finish, Bayless halted the action to allow the referee to check a cut over Plant's eye that was the result of an accidental clash of heads. Given the extra few moments, Plant was able to survive the round, but he never truly got back into the fight.

Can't get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news, including instant analysis of Benavidez vs. Plant live from Las Vegas at the conclusion of the PPV event below.

Once Benavidez took over the fight, he didn't look back, piling up round after round and forcing Plant to be almost totally defensive, leading to final punch stats that saw him land 210 shots to just 91 for Plant.

The fighters embraced several times after the fight, also visiting each other's corners. It was a surprising development given both men said ahead of the fight that there was no chance they'd so much as shake hands after the fight.

"I know I said we weren't gonna end the beef, but we fought like warriors in the ring, and this guy's a f---ing hell of a fighter," Benavidez said. "We gave the fans the best rivalry of the year, the best rivalry of the last five years. ... I hit him with a lot of hard shots. I would talk shit, but I like this guy now, so I don't want to keep it going."

Plant was also quick to compliment Benavidez after the fight, while also saying that the cut above his eye was not an excuse for the loss.

"I take nothing from David. We haven't been the best of friends, but we got in the ring and settled it like men, that's what you're supposed to do," Plant said. "When the best get in there with the best, you roll the dice, somebody's going to come up short. I've got in there and rumbled with the best in the world. I haven't ducked nobody, and maybe we can have a rematch in the future. David was the better man tonight and I take nothing from him. Congratulations to him and his family, he's a hell of a fighter."

By retaining his interim WBC title, Benavidez holds a place as one of undisputed champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez's mandatory challengers. Benavidez was quick to say that he wanted his shot at the undisputed champ.

"I have a lot of respect for Canelo Alvarez, but he has to give me that shot now," Benavidez said. "That's what everyone wants to see. Let's get in the ring in September."

CBS Sports was with you throughout the entire way on Saturday the live results and highlights below. 

Fight card, results

• David Benavidez (c) def. Caleb Plant via unanimous decision (115-113, 116-112, 117-111)
• Jesus Ramos def. Joey Spencer via seventh-round TKO
• Chris Colbert def. Jose Valenzuela via unanimous decision (95-94, 95-94, 95-94)
• Cody Crowley def. Abel Ramos via majority decision (114-114, 115-113, 116-112)

Benavidez vs. Plant scorecard, live coverage

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
Benavidez	9	9	10	9	9	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	116
Plant	10	10	9	10	10	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	112

[Mar 26, 2023 at 1:14 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Official result: David Benavidez def. Caleb Plant via unanimous decision (115-113, 116-112, 117-111)

210-91 punches landed advantage for Benavidez over the 12 rounds

[Mar 26, 2023 at 1:11 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant -- Round 12: Plant came out trying to make something happen, throwing flurries and landing well but a Benavidez counter left landed well to stop the flurry. Benavidez caught Plant with a good right hand after Plant missed a right of his own. Plant banged to the body with a left and Benavidez walked forward landing uppercuts and right hands. Plant threw a flurry to the body and then a hard flurry to the head as both men exchanged to end the fight. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Benavidez (116-112)

[Mar 26, 2023 at 1:08 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant -- Round 11: Plant landed a good left hand to Benavidez's jaw and a few two-punch combinations but the didn't appear to bother Benavidez at all. Benavidez landed a good right hand and then a hard left hook that snapped back Plant's head. Benavidez snapped off some good jabs and then landed a big right before a series of uppercuts as Plant tried to hold on. Benavidez continued to land hard shots as Plant just tried to hold on and ride out the round. Benavidez ended the round with another heavy right hand. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Benavidez (106-103)

[Mar 26, 2023 at 1:03 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant -- Round 10: Again, Plant opened throwing body punches. Plant landed a good right hand and an uppercut but Benavidez tagged him. Plant tried to clinch but Benavidez wouldn't accept it, landing several hard shots in close. Benavidez landed a few bombs as the fighters were standing toe-to-toe. Plant kept moving forward but he was getting tagged with regularity. Plant tried to throw combinations but he was getting hurt by the powerful shots of Benavidez. It's all Benavidez now. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Benavidez (96-94)

[Mar 26, 2023 at 1:00 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant -- Round 9: Plant came out and threw a body punch that went way low, landing to Benavidez's cup. Plant received a final warning for low blows. Plant continued to throw to the body and then unloaded a combination to Benavidez's head. Benavidez landed a big right hand and a straight leftPlant fired shots at Benavidez, who taunted and dared him to keep throwing. Plant continued to fire at the body before a double jab. Benavidez got inside and landed a few hard shots inside. Plant is just the man with the power and Plant is struggling to figure out what to do now that he isn't dancing away with the ease of early rounds. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Benavidez (86-85)

[Mar 26, 2023 at 12:55 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant -- Round 8: Plant whipped a left hook around the guard of Benavidez.Plant tried to clinch but Benavidez continued to fire away, landing some good punches that seemed to bother Plant. Benavidez landed a good right and another that had Plant rocked and forced him to hold on after his legs went wobbly. Benavidez tried to come forward and flurry and the referee stopped the fight to check a Plant cut. A terrible time to stop the action as Plant was hurt and Benavidez was looking to close on him. Benavidez continued to come forward, landing shots as Plant was looking to just survive the round. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Benavidez (76-76)

[Mar 26, 2023 at 12:51 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant -- Round 7: Benavidez landed a nice straight right hand and avoided return fire. Benavidez finally started throwing combinations instead of single shots, catching Plant with some nice punches. Benavidez trapped Plant on the ropes and landed some solid power shots before Plant escaped and landed a hard punch that forced Benavidez backward. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Benavidez (67-66 Plant)

[Mar 26, 2023 at 12:47 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant -- Round 6: A little rough stuff from both sides in the clinch early. Benavidez landed a good jab that snapped Plant's head back and then he threw two hard shots to the body. Plant threw a nice combination of straight punches before slipping two shots from Benavidez. Benavidez did manage to land a left and right before doing the same again. Plant fired a hard body shot and a hook but was met by a right from Benavidez. Benavidez rolled with a good combination to the body and head and Plant received a warning for clinching. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Benavidez (58-56 Plant)

[Mar 26, 2023 at 12:43 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant -- Round 5: Plant opened up wit a big combination again and pushed Benavidez into the ropes and landing several jabs. Benavidez dared Plant to stand in the center of the ring but Plant refused, moving and jabbing. Benavidez lunged forward and landed a few shots before Plant clinched to break the action. Benavidez finally trapped Plant and landed a nice combination along the ropes before Plant circled away. Both men began taunting each other before Plant showed some flashy defense slipping Benavidez's punches. A close round but it feels like another that Plant edged. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Plant (49-46)

[Mar 26, 2023 at 12:39 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant -- Round 4: Plant threw another early combination before sticking a few jabs into Benavidez's stomach. A left from Plant forced Benavidez to take a few backward steps. Benavidez landed a jab before missing wildly with a hook. Plant stuck a good one-two in Benavidez's face before Benavidez landed a nice body shot. A big left landed for Plant and he clinched again to keep Benavidez off of him and hen landed one final jab. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Plant (39-37)

[Mar 26, 2023 at 12:35 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant -- Round 3: Benavidez managed to land a hook to the body after a few more shots from Plant. Benavidez followed up with a good counter left hand, finally landing some meaningful shots. Flant threw a big left hook that just missed and then he threw a few jabs to the body before clinching when Benavidez tried to let his hands go. Plant missed wildly and ate a shot from Benavidez in return. Benavidez landed to the body and then hit a stiff jab before Plant landed a good left of his own. Benavidez's best round of the fight. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Benavidez (29-28 Plant)

[Mar 26, 2023 at 12:31 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant -- Round 2: Plant let his hands go with a four-punch combo, working the body and head. Plant easily avoided a winging Benavidez shot. Plant again got off a combination and landed a stiff jab. A left hook landed for Plant and then two shots to the body. Benavidez hasn't been able to get the distance or pin Plant in one spot. Benavidez tried to pop off jabs and straight rights but just couldn't land solid shots. Plant again cracked Benavidez with a combination and Benavidez has not gotten going at all through two rounds. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Plant (20-18)

[Mar 26, 2023 at 12:26 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant -- Round 1: Benavidez moved around the outside of the ring to start, both men pawing with jabs. Benavidez ducked down trying to jab to the stomach. Plant tried to quickly dart in and out with his own jabs. Plant clinched and Benavidez shoved and nearly elbowed Plant, drawing a warning from the referee. Plant jumped in with a left hook and went back to the jab. Another jab landed for Plant as he continued to happily work around the center of the ring. Not much meaningful action to start but Plant's jab took the round. Unofficial scorecard: 10-9 Plant

[Mar 26, 2023 at 12:18 am ET · Brent Brookhouse]

Plant and Benavidez are in the ring. Fighter introductions are up next and then we get down to action.