"It was a pretty tough fight, I was just easing in,” said Plant. “I proved that I can fight on the inside tonight and I did what I had to do to get that WBA belt.”
Plant used his speed advantage to control the first round, but McCumby bounced back well in round two with a series of big left hooks that appeared to have Plant dazed heading back to his corner. McCumby took that momentum into round four, as he landed a left hook to the body that appeared to hit Plant’s shoulder, but nonetheless sent him to the mat for a knockdown.
"He caught me pulling out and hit me in the shoulder, but that's part of the game,” said Plant. “He came in with wild punches and I just had to stay focused. That's what champions do.”
After recovering from the knockdown, Plant came out in round five making a key adjustment by positioning himself directly in McCumby’s chest to blunt his power. Showing his ability to dominate on the inside, Plant landed a staggering 32 body shots across a huge round five that saw him bring the crowd to their feet with his combination of offensive prowess and showmanship.
"I noticed that he wanted to fight more on the inside,” said McCumby. “When I was sparring I had caught a lot of guys with left hooks while I was back on the ropes. It was one of my better shots. I was trying to catch him but I couldn't get him clean enough. He adjusted well.”
He continued his positive momentum throughout the rest of the fight before closing the show in style by landing 37 power punches in round nine. At the end of the round, Plant again forced McCumby to the ropes and teed off with power shots until referee Allen Huggins waved off the bout 2:59 into the frame.
"I knew I had him hurt and had to go to work,” said Plant. “It was time to get my belt. Now I'm ready to go home and play with my daughter."