Lucas Bahdi vs. Floyd Schofield III
Most Valuable Promotions is not letting the Lucas Bahdi vs. Floyd Schofield III result slide. Nine days after the October 10 WBA lightweight title fight at Chicago’s Wintrust Arena, Bahdi’s promoters filed a formal protest to overturn the decision. Their argument is simple: bad refereeing cost their fighter a world championship.
On paper, Schofield (20-0, 13 KOs) walked away with a clear unanimous decision over Bahdi (20-1, 15 KOs). Judges Dave DeJonge (116-110), Alfredo Gallardo (119-108), and Steve Weisfeld (115-111) all had Schofield ahead by at least four points. That victory handed the top-ranked contender the vacant 135-pound belt stripped from an inactive Gervonta Davis. When MVP went back to the tape, though, they saw a completely different fight.
How Three Missed Calls Changed the Lucas Bahdi vs. Floyd Schofield III Fight
The protest centers on referee Benjamin Rodriguez. Bahdi’s team believes Rodriguez missed three separate knockdowns in the third, sixth, and ninth rounds. Had those calls been made, the math changes entirely—giving Bahdi the WBA title by majority decision.
Here is what the replay showed in those disputed rounds:
- Round 3: With 30 seconds left in the third, Schofield caught Bahdi with a counter left hook that knocked him off balance and sent his head between the middle ropes. Rodriguez rightly called it a knockdown since the ropes kept Bahdi on his feet. Right before the bell sounded, Bahdi answered back. Even though Schofield didn’t look badly hurt, a crisp right hand to the body dropped him to the canvas. Rodriguez waved it off as a slip.
- Round 6: Bahdi hurt Schofield with a heavy right hand with half a minute to go. Seconds later, the ropes seemed to prop Schofield up again, though no call was made. At the 23-second mark, Schofield tried to clinch and hit the deck. Instead of starting a count, Rodriguez ruled that their legs had just tangled up.
- Round 9: Under 20 seconds remained in the round when another right hand from Bahdi forced Schofield to grab and hold. As he took the shot, Schofield’s right knee appeared to touch the canvas. Rodriguez didn’t catch it.
- Round 11: The strange twist is that the one knockdown Rodriguez did give Bahdi wasn’t even from a punch. With 2:06 left in the 11th, Bahdi accidentally stepped on Schofield’s right foot, sending him falling to his side.
MVP Pushes the WBA and Illinois Commission for an Immediate Rematch
Late Monday night, Most Valuable Promotions sent its video evidence to both the WBA and the State of Illinois Athletic Board, calling for an immediate rematch.
“We have a responsibility to advocate for our fighters, especially when a world championship is at stake,” MVP wrote in its statement. “Lucas deserves a fair result, and we believe the evidence warrants a thorough review. Our fighters put everything on the line when they step into the ring, and MVP will always stand behind our athletes and advocate for the opportunities and fair treatment they deserve.”
Getting the official record changed is an uphill battle that splits across two organizations. The WBA can step in and order an immediate rematch if they agree the officiating was flawed. Changing the actual win-loss column, however, falls strictly to the State of Illinois Athletic Board.
