Five weeks ago, Australia’s Issac Hardman was asked to play the role of rising American superstar David Benavidez.

A gig which lasted only one day.

Or more specifically, 10 rounds.

But still, enough for him to predict everything coming this weekend.

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“Because towards the end of those rounds,” says the 26-year-old Queenslander, “I was walking Caleb Plant down, I was moving him from corner to corner … and I’m nowhere near as big as Benavidez.”

One of America’s greatest boxing feuds is set to be sorted in blockbuster style this Sunday when famed rivals – and former super middleweight champions — Benavidez and Plant throw down at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Apart from fighting for the WBC interim title, or more importantly, a shot at Canelo Alvarez, the pair are also looking to end five years of bad blood that has included a gym brawl, countless social media spats and endless jawing in print, in person, everywhere.

A war which, to the knowledge of few, also now includes Caboolture boy Hardman.

That popular Aussie middleweight who, back in February, and while training Stateside, was surprisingly invited to spar those 10 rounds against Plant.

At the time, Hardman was deep inside his own preparations for a showdown on Tim Tszyu’s recent world title undercard. A bout against countryman Rohan Murdock which saw him move up in weight but eventually lose, somewhat contentiously, via split decision.

Speaking immediately afterwards, Hardman blasted not only the judge’s scorecards, but also the state of Australian boxing officialdom generally.

While even now, a fortnight on, and having watched the bout back countless times, the fighter dubbed Headsplitter insists, at worst for him, the rounds were split five each — with a Murdoch point deduction in the ninth still then getting him home.

Which also has Hardman promising to bounce back later this year.

But before all that, we want to talk Sunday’s blockbuster between Benavediz and Plant.

And those 10 rounds which make the Aussie fighter part of it all.

Recalling while Hardman was preparing Stateside back in February, Team Plant liked enough of what they saw to invite him to be part of their own preparations.

“And I’m no David Benavidez just yet,” the Queenslander said this week when recounting the opportunity.

“But I do have a walk up style.

“My hands aren’t as fast as Benavidez but I am a big puncher and do have what I feel is a similar style.

“And Caleb Plant, mate, super sharp.

“Has a really good lead hand, really good jab, good left hook, good lead body rip … it’s actually like a sniper, that left hand of his.”

Yet still not strong enough for Hardman to favour the man he sparred?

“Because the one thing I’ll say is this: I’d fight Caleb Plant this Sunday — wouldn’t think twice,” the fighter continued.

“But I would think twice about fighting David Benavidez.

“Just because of his pure size.

“He’s a big, young kid. Aggressive.

“A big super middleweight.

“But while I thought Plant was going to be much bigger and stronger, he didn’t out size me. Wasn’t (stronger) by any means.

“So if Plant doesn’t catch him early, I feel David Benavidez is going to walk him down and hurt him.”

Which importantly, isn’t a slight on the man he sparred last month.

“I just reckon Benavidez will be the one that beats them all eventually,” Hardman continued.

“The bloke’s a weapon.

“I think he will beat Canelo Alvarez one day. Think he could even go up to light heavyweight and beat the likes of Dmitry Bivol.

“He’s aggressive, has fast hands and is such a puzzle for everyone.”

Asked if he could see any path to victory for Plant — whose famed left hook earned that 2022 Knockout of the Year against Anthony Dirrell — the Aussie questioned if years of bad blood between the two could potentially bring Benavidez down.

“Because there’s a lot of animosity in this fight,” he said. “And Benavidez seems to be the one who is super wound up, saying he is going to knock Caleb Plant out.

“Plant though has been really calm. Says tough guys don’t need to talk.

“But Benavidez is younger, more emotional.

“And I’ve been in that position.

“In the build-up to my fight with Michael Zerafa, I was super emotional. Kept saying ‘I’m gunna knock Zerafa out’.

“And because of that I brought myself undone.

“Tried to load up on every punch and fell into a good left hook.

“So that could work in Caleb Planet’s favour, Benavidez being so emotional and so wound up in wanting to hurt him.

“He could fall into that trap.

“And maybe that is Caleb Plant’s game plan, just like Zerafa wanted to wind me up.”

Asked if he got any sense of the rivalry during his time with Plant, Hardman added: “Not really, no.

“But Plant wasn’t really my cup of tea either. Wasn’t very talkative.

“And I can appreciate that he doesn’t know me. Doesn’t want to speak with the guy he’s sparring, either.

“He’s there to do a job.”

So as for Plant being a $3.80 TAB outsider, and Benavidez the $1.25 favourite?

“In my opinion,” Hardman said, “that’s about right”.