Anthony Dirrell: Plant Is Just Not Cordial, Respectful; I Still Don’t Like The Motherf——!

NEW YORK – Anthony Dirrell explained Wednesday why he intensely dislikes Caleb Plant.

Dirrell respects Plant, just like he appreciates any boxer who risks his life in the ring. Plant’s persona away from the ring always annoyed Dirrell, though, which is why the former WBC super middleweight champion hasn’t been shy about admonishing Plant for what Dirrell considers an off-putting disposition.

“The thing is, like I said, we’re all fighters,” Dirrell said during an open workout at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn. “We’re getting in that ring to entertain people. And outside the ring, I don’t gotta hang out with you, I don’t gotta go to the club with you. Be cordial. You know what I’m saying?

“Be cordial. Be respectful. He’s just not, man, at all. Like, and it just – I’m not gonna say it rubbed me some type of way, but it kinda get me. You know what I’m saying? Because, you know, in boxing we’re fighting for our life in the ring, like I said. And you get outside the ring, the business is done. Like, it’s done. So, be cordial. That’s all I ask.”

Dirrell, 38, and Plant, 30, will square off in a 12-round, 168-pound elimination match Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The bout between Dirrell (34-2-2, 25 KOs), of Flint, Michigan, and Plant (21-1, 12 KOs), of Ashland City, Tennessee, will be the co-feature of a four-fight FOX Sports Pay-Per-View telecast that’ll be headlined by heavyweights Deontay Wilder (42-2-1, 41 KOs) and Robert Helenius (30-3, 21 KOs).

The pay-per-per-view portion of this 11-fight card starts at 9 p.m. ET and costs $74.99.

While Dirrell definitely doesn’t like Plant, he clarified that he respects the former IBF super middleweight champion.

“I mean, Caleb, you gotta respect everybody that gets in that square and go in there and try to fight,” Dirrell said, “because boxers losing their life all the time in the ring now. And I don’t know what it is, but, you know, they are. And we definitely gotta respect the people that get in that ring and give entertainment to everybody that’s watching.”

Caesars Sportsbook lists Plant as a 10-1 favorite to defeat Dirrell in what will be the first fight in more than 11 months for both boxers.

Plant hasn’t boxed since Mexican icon Canelo Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) dropped him twice and stopped Plant in the 11th round of their full 168-pound title unification fight last November 6 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Dirrell hasn’t competed since he violently knocked out Marcos Hernandez (15-6-2, 3 KOs) in the fourth round on the Alvarez-Plant undercard.

Whatever transpires Saturday night, Dirrell doesn’t intend to shake Plant’s hand or otherwise exchange pleasantries once their fight ends.

When reminded that he had just expressed respect for Plant, Dirrell concluded, “I don’t give a f—-! That don’t got nuttin’ to do with no handshake. I still don’t like the motherf—–.”

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.