By: Sean Crose
Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield battled for the WBA lightweight title Saturday night in Chicago. His opponent, Lucas Bahdi, was older than Schofield, but like Schofield, was undefeated entering the ring. Their fight was scheduled for twelve and was the main event of a card broadcast live on DAZN. First, however, Ricardo Sandoval battled Sergio Mendoza in defense of his WBA and WBC flyweight championship belts. The first was a rather slow affair until the final seconds, with each man feeling the other man out. The second round was fast paced, with each man firing quickly and well. Indeed, Sandoval was dropped not once, but twice before the round ended. He got up both times, but it was a very interesting development.
Sandoval got rocked again about halfway through the third. Sandoval simply wasn’t able to impact Mendoza the way Mendoza was able to impact him with his shots. It was clear in the fourth that Sandoval has made up his mind to tough things out. And he didn’t do bad at it. Yet a thunderous Mendoza shot sent the defending champion to the mat for a third time in the fifth. Sandoval got to his feet once more, but the referee wisely stopped the fight moments later. It was nothing less than a stunning upset.
It was time for the main event. The first round was close, though Bahdi may have edged it. Schofield appeared more in control in the second. While Bahdi pursued his man effectively, Schofield was able to fire from range. Schofield nailed Bahdi in the third. He then pursued his man aggressively, though Badhi was able to recover a bit. Still, Bahdi went into the ropes and had to take an eight count before the round came to a close. Schofield however, went down at the bell, though it was not ruled a knockdown.
The fourth wasn’t a high energy affair, as each man was playing it rather safe for the most part. Schofield appeared to have resumed control in the fifth. He continued to control the action in the sixth until things got a bit wild in the final minute of the chapter. The round had no doubt ended in exciting fashion. The seventh was very close, though Scholfield may have looked a bit sharper. Despite Bahdi’s efforts, he wasn’t able to reach the mobile Schofield and his southpaw jab in the eighth. Schofield was able to keep Bahdi at a distance in the ninth.
Give Bahdi this – the man was determined and relentless. It was just starting to become obvious that the longer the fight went on the more Schofield was pulling away with it. The ring doctor even had a quick look at Bahdi at the start of the eleventh. But then Bahdi sent Schofield to the canvas! Schofield beat the count but it was certainly a rude awakening. The twelfth and final round saw Schofield effectively sharp shooting from a distance. Suffice to say Schofield earned the judge’s nod and the WBA lightweight title.
“It kind of feels like a dream,” Schofield said afterward. “He’s (Bahdi is) a hard puncher. I’m not going to lie.” Indeed Bahdi did prove to be a hard puncher, which is why it was wise for Schofield to keep his distance through most of the bout. Thrilling fights are great – but it’s the goal of a fighter to emerge victorious above all else. There’s a lot of big names among Schofield’s weight realm. The question now is whether or not the fighter called “Kid Austin” can hang with those big names. It’s something time may well tell.
