Golden Boy Promotions will attempt to send a second fighter to a lightweight title within two months on October 10 when unbeaten Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield meets Lucas Bahdi for the vacant WBA belt in Chicago.
The card’s co-main event is a compelling unified flyweight bout pitting WBC/WBC champion Ricardo Sandoval versus Puerto Rico’s long-reigning strawweight champion and pound-for-pound member Oscar Collazo.
In the bout to replace vacated and legally troubled former champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Schofield, 19-0 (13 KOs), attempts to claim the belt from Canada’s WBA No. 2-ranked Bahdi, 20-0 (15 KOs), at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
DAZN will stream the card with pre-sale tickets available today via Ticketmaster.
“There’s been enough talk outside the ring, and now I’m ready to let my fists do the talking,” Schofield said in a prepared statement. “I’ve worked my whole life for an opportunity like this, and I’m just one fight away from accomplishing my dream of becoming a world champion.
“I know Lucas Bahdi is coming to fight and will bring his best, but I’m prepared for whatever he brings. On October 10, it’s time to settle everything inside the ring and show the world that I belong at the top of the lightweight division. I’m coming to put on a show and leave Chicago as a world champion.”
Bahdi, who has impressively mounted an underdog pursuit of the belt that included a 2024 upset knockout of Ashton Sylve on an Most Valuable Promotions card, now is one victory away.
“I’ve been waiting to fight for a world title since the first time I laced up a pair of gloves. I’m extremely appreciative of this opportunity and can’t wait for October 10 in Chicago,” Bahdi said in his prepared remarks.
Promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who witnessed his lightweight from Mexico, William Zepeda, capture the vacant WBC belt August 1 in Las Vegas over Lamont Roach Jnr, said this battle of unbeatens should give his promotion another strap.
“Floyd Schofield III is just one fight away from becoming the WBA lightweight world champion, a feat every fighter dreams of accomplishing,” De La Hoya in the fight’s announcement. “He has a tough test in front of him in Lucas Bahdi, but we’re confident ‘Kid Austin’ will rise to the occasion and pass with flying colors.
“The co-main event is going to be a barn burner, with Ricardo Sandoval defending his unified WBC and WBA flyweight world titles against one of Puerto Rico’s finest, former WBO, WBA and Ring Magazine minimumweight world champion Oscar Collazo, who is going up two divisions to face Sandoval. Chicago will be on fire with this card because it’ll be Golden Boy vs. MVP, and everyone knows nobody builds and develops fighters like Golden Boy.”
MVP founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian say Bahdi “has earned this moment.”
“He has proven himself as one of the most dangerous and talented contenders in the lightweight division, and now he has the opportunity to achieve his lifelong dream of becoming a world champion,” Paul and Bidarian said. “We believe Lucas has everything it takes to bring the WBA lightweight world championship home to Canada.”
Collazo effectively cleaned out the 105lbs division as he now goes after the unified 112lbs title that Southern California’s Sandoval, 27-2 (18 KOs) claimed in July by defeating Kenshiro Teraji in Yokohama, Japan.
“I am grateful … for … this massive opportunity to move up in weight for a great fight and make history for Puerto Rican boxing by facing another unified champion,” Collazo said. “Sandoval is a challenge that motivates me and my team. I’m also motivated to make all of this possible; I was looking to make history and prove that there are no limits when you know what you’re capable of doing.
“This isn’t just for me – this is for Puerto Rico and to raise the level of Puerto Rican boxing. I know how far I can go, and this fight is going to catapult my career to even bigger things. Believe me, he has what’s mine; we want to do great things, and he’s standing in the way. I know that with my ability, the support of my people, and the team I have, we are going to achieve it. This fight defines my career, and with this victory, I know even bigger opportunities will come.”
