- Floyd Schofield beat Lucas Bahdi on a unanimous decision at Wintrust Arena in Chicago to win the vacant WBA lightweight title and move to 20-0
- Each man hit the canvas once, Schofield in round three and Bahdi's knockdown of Schofield in round eleven, in a fight far more of a war than a boxing lesson
- I want Schofield against Abdullah Mason next, but I would pick William Zepeda to beat this version of him
Schofield Wins The WBA Lightweight Title In Chicago
Right then. Let's not beat around the bush: Floyd Schofield is a world champion, and he had to earn every second of it. He outpointed Lucas Bahdi over twelve rounds at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on Saturday night to take the vacant WBA lightweight title, and the scorecards were reported as 116-110, 119-108 and 115-111. That is a comfortable margin on paper. It was not a comfortable night in the ring.
This was Schofield's first fight in 469 days, and the ring rust was there for everyone to see. If you read our fight day piece, you will remember I said the missed weight and the nerves would make it tighter than a wide decision. I got that part right. What I did not expect was a proper dust-up.
How The Fight Played Out
Bahdi came out and landed clean right hands in the first two rounds while Schofield leaned on his speed. Then round three turned it. Schofield dropped Bahdi with a left hook that sent him into the ropes, Bahdi beat the count, and for a spell it looked like the quick, sharp version of Floyd had arrived.
It did not last. The middle rounds turned into a slugfest, and Schofield was properly hurt more than once. Credit to him: he answered back every time. That is the thing you cannot teach, and it is why I will keep rating him even on a night when the boxing was not pretty.
The Knockdown Row
There was controversy late on. In round nine Schofield's knee touched the canvas after a Bahdi right hand and nothing was given. In round eleven Bahdi was credited with a knockdown, although the feet looked tangled. Make no mistake, a knockdown awarded in round nine would have made those scorecards look very different. Even so, the cards went Schofield's way, and I think the right man got his hand raised because he boxed better when he stayed on the move and kept Bahdi on the end of the jab.
What The Result Means For Bahdi
Bahdi drops to 20-1 and leaves with his head high. His body work and heavy hands kept Schofield honest for twelve rounds, and Oscar De La Hoya has already said he will be back. I agree. Lightweights with that kind of power do not stay down for long.
On the same card, Ricardo Sandoval lost his WBA and WBC flyweight titles when the late replacement stopped him in round five. It was a big upset and a reminder that this sport hands out surprises when you least expect them.
Who Is Next For Schofield?
The other belts at 135 are held by William Zepeda (WBC) and Abdullah Mason (WBO). Zepeda is the obvious fit because both men work with Golden Boy, and that is the one that sells. Schofield himself says he wants time with his family first, and I have no problem with that after a fight like this.
Here is my prediction. Against Mason, Schofield's speed is a real weapon and I would give him the edge. Against Zepeda, if he gets the same sort of fight Bahdi gave him, I think the volume and pressure beat him in the second half. If you know, you know: this was a good win, not yet a great one. Schofield needs rounds, not rest, if he wants to be a long-term champion.