Two unbeaten lightweights walk into Wintrust Arena on Saturday night with a belt, a legacy, and an unblemished record to lose. Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield III (19-0, 13 KOs) and “Prince” Lucas Bahdi (20-0, 15 KOs) fight for the vacant WBA World Lightweight Championship on October 10, 2026, live on DAZN from Chicago, Illinois.
The title is vacant because Gervonta Davis — its most recent holder — was designated “champion in recess” by the WBA in June 2026, following a controversial draw with Lamont Roach Jr. in March 2025 and a prolonged absence from the ring amid ongoing legal issues. That cleared the way for the WBA’s top two contenders to settle who becomes the new 135-pound king.
| Date | Saturday, October 10, 2026 |
| Venue | Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois |
| Promotion | Golden Boy Promotions / Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) |
| Broadcast | DAZN (US & worldwide) |
| Division | Lightweight (135 lbs) |
| Rounds | 12 |
| Title | Vacant WBA World Lightweight Championship |
The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET / 2 a.m. UK (Sunday). Ring walks for the main event are expected around 11 p.m. ET / 4 a.m. UK.
Floyd Schofield III turned professional in October 2020 at age 18 and has not put a foot wrong since. At 24, he is the younger man in this fight by eight years — and he punches like someone who has spent every one of those years building toward this moment.
Schofield stands 5’7” (170 cm) with a 66.9” reach, fights orthodox, and has stopped 13 of his 19 opponents (68% KO rate, per official fight records). His most memorable performance came in June 2025 when he needed just 78 seconds to dismantle former world champion Tevin Farmer — two knockdowns and a referee stoppage in the first round. That win put him at WBA No. 1 at lightweight and set up this vacant title shot.
The complication is the 16-month gap that follows. A scheduled WBC title fight with Shakur Stevenson in February 2025 collapsed when Schofield withdrew due to illness during fight week. The episode prompted scepticism about his readiness for elite opponents that Saturday night’s performance against Farmer did not fully extinguish. Schofield walks into this fight having accumulated 78 total professional rounds — a relatively modest sample for a first world-title challenge.
His strengths are undeniable: elite hand speed, a naturally heavy punch for the weight class, and an aggression that forces opponents onto the back foot from the opening bell.
Lucas Bahdi is 32, Canadian, and has been the most patient man in professional boxing. He debuted in 2019, spent five years building a résumé, and announced himself to the wider world in July 2024 by knocking out highly touted American prospect Ashton Sylve in the sixth round on the Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry undercard — a performance that earned him multiple 2024 Knockout of the Year honours.
Bahdi stands 5’9” (175 cm) with a 68” reach, fights orthodox, and has stopped 15 of his 20 opponents. His 75% stoppage rate is the sharper finishing percentage entering Saturday’s fight. He has fought 92 professional rounds in total — 14 more than Schofield — and has beaten fighters who were considered among the better prospects in the division.
After the Sylve knockout, Bahdi earned a majority decision over Armando Casamonica (14-0) on the Paul vs. Tyson undercard in November 2024, then outpointed Ryan James Racaza by unanimous decision to headline MVP’s Prospects 11 card in Toronto in March 2025. Most recently he took a 12-round unanimous decision over former WBA junior lightweight champion Roger Gutierrez, dropping Gutierrez in the sixth round. That win made Bahdi the mandatory challenger to then-title holder Davis.
Bahdi enters as Most Valuable Promotions’ leading male boxing asset. There is added commercial momentum behind his run.
| Floyd Schofield | Lucas Bahdi | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 24 | 32 |
| Nationality | USA | Canada |
| Height | 5’7” / 170 cm | 5’9” / 175 cm |
| Reach | 66.9” / 170 cm | 68” / 173 cm |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| Record | 19-0 | 20-0 |
| KOs | 13 (68%) | 15 (75%) |
| Total Rounds | 78 | 92 |
| Debut | 2020 | 2019 |
Bahdi has the physical edges — two inches of height, an inch of reach — and the deeper experience base. Schofield has the age, the explosiveness, and the more recent stoppage of a recognisable name.
Floyd Schofield — Last 5 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2025 | Tevin Farmer | W | KO | 1 |
| Nov 2024 | Rene Tellez | W | UD | 12 |
| Mar 2024 | Esteuri Suero | W | UD | 10 |
| Dec 2023 | Ricardo Lopez | W | TKO | 1 |
| Dec 2023 | Fernando Torres | W | TKO | 1 |
Lucas Bahdi — Last 5 Fights
| Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | Roger Gutierrez | W | UD | 12 |
| Mar 2025 | Ryan James Racaza | W | UD | 10 |
| Nov 2024 | Armando Casamonica | W | MD | 10 |
| Jul 2024 | Ashton Sylve | W | KO | 6 |
| Jun 2024 | Jose Luis Rodriguez | W | TKO | 4 |
Schofield’s recent form is built around explosive stoppages and a pair of points wins — he has finished 3 of his last 5 opponents and most recently demolished a credentialed former world champion in 78 seconds. Bahdi’s last five show a fighter who can win multiple ways: two decisions over unbeaten opponents, a hard-earned majority decision over Casamonica, a highlight-reel knockout of Sylve, and a 12-round unanimous decision over a former world champion. Schofield’s resumé runs lighter on named opposition at the very top.
Both fighters are orthodox and aggressive, which sets up a collision rather than a chess match. The central tactical question is whether Schofield’s hand speed and power can disrupt Bahdi before the Canadian finds his rhythm — or whether Bahdi’s 14-round experience advantage gives him the engine to outlast a young fighter who has never been tested deep in a fight.
Schofield at his best is a momentum fighter: he pressures, sets traps, and finishes when he senses a crack. Against Farmer he did not need to show much else, but a 12-round championship fight against a disciplined opponent who absorbs punishment and counter-punches well — Sylve was ahead before going down — is a different kind of problem.
Bahdi is the better technician at range. He is larger, and no opponent has put him on the canvas across 20 professional fights. His knockout of Sylve demonstrated the ability to turn a fight on a single exchange even when behind on the cards. If Schofield’s early pressure does not produce a stoppage, Bahdi’s durability and ring generalship become stronger factors as the rounds accumulate.
The mileage gap is real: Schofield has never been taken deep into a competitive championship fight. Bahdi has been there multiple times. That alone should keep this close into the middle rounds.
For Schofield:
For Bahdi:
Schofield is listed as the heavy betting favourite across major books. Published odds vary: Yahoo Sports lists Schofield at -650 and Bahdi at +500; other books range from -795 to -910 for Schofield. The consensus makes him a substantial favourite.
Those odds reflect the gap in perceived upside — Schofield’s speed and punch are elite-tier tools at 135 pounds — but they likely underweight Bahdi’s finishing percentage, experience, and size edge. This is a quality matchup between two fighters without a professional loss, and Bahdi has done nothing to suggest he will fold to early pressure.
The most likely path for Schofield is a mid-fight stoppage if he can land cleanly and hurt Bahdi; the most likely path for Bahdi is a points win if he neutralises the early threat and starts outworking Schofield from round five or six onward.
Prediction: Floyd Schofield by UD, 12 rounds. The youth, speed, and explosive power are enough to outscore Bahdi across the full 12, but Bahdi’s durability and experience make a stoppage the harder route. Expect Schofield to win clearly on the cards without finding the clean shot he needs to end it early — and Bahdi to be standing at the final bell, making the younger man earn every point.
US: DAZN — main card starts 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
UK: DAZN — main card from 2 a.m. GMT (Sunday, October 11). Ring walks for the main event expected around 4 a.m. GMT.
The co-main event is a second world title fight: Ricardo Sandoval (27-2, 18 KOs) makes the first defence of his unified WBA and WBC World Flyweight Championship against Sergio Mendoza (27-1, 23 KOs). Mendoza stepped in after original challenger Oscar Collazo withdrew with a rib injury sustained in training.
The main card also features Jahmal Harvey vs. Pedro Castaneda at lightweight (8 rounds) and Jan Paul Rivera vs. Abraham Perfecto at super featherweight (10 rounds).
It is a genuinely even fight on paper. Schofield has the tools to dominate; Bahdi has the tools to win ugly if Schofield cannot close it out. The WBA lightweight division has been without a reigning champion since Davis drew with Roach — whoever leaves Wintrust Arena with the belt will have earned it against a live opponent with a perfect record.
Dig into the full round-by-round punch stats, historical records, and fighter profiles via the Boxing Data API.
When is Floyd Schofield vs Lucas Bahdi? Saturday, October 10, 2026. The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET on DAZN; ring walks for the main event are expected around 11 p.m. ET.
Where is Schofield vs Bahdi taking place? Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
What title is on the line? The vacant WBA World Lightweight Championship, previously held by Gervonta Davis, who was designated “champion in recess” by the WBA in June 2026.
What are the betting odds for Schofield vs Bahdi? Odds vary by book; Yahoo Sports lists Floyd Schofield as the favourite at -650 and Lucas Bahdi as the underdog at +500.
What is Floyd Schofield’s record? Schofield enters the fight at 19-0 with 13 knockouts (68% KO rate).
What is Lucas Bahdi’s record? Bahdi enters at 20-0 with 15 knockouts (75% KO rate).
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