CHICAGO — Floyd Schofield forgot his microphone was on. As the camera pushed in on him at Thursday’s final press conference, he leaned toward Lucas Bahdi’s side of the stage and whispered, “Ima whoop his ass.” Then he said it again. Only when someone reminded him the mic was live did he realize the moment had been caught.
Bahdi did not need a hot mic to make his point. “Saturday night I’m going to expose his flaws,” he said. “I feel great. This is the moment I’ve been wanting. It’s what I signed up for and I’m ready for it.” Then he aimed one at Schofield. “I’m not saying you’re scared but you probably should be. I’m about to make you famous for the wrong reasons.”
Schofield missed weight on his first attempt at Friday’s weigh-in, then came in at 135 pounds on his second try. Bahdi weighed 134. At the face-off the two stood nose to nose, and Bahdi smiled. He later posted a video of himself eating a donut and saying it feels great to make weight.
The weight story did not end at the scale. In a video posted by Fight Hub TV, Schofield said Bahdi’s camp wants to change the rehydration clause, which limits how much weight each fighter can put back on before the fight, by adding two pounds to the agreed fight-night weight of 145. He told the cameraman to ask Bahdi’s management, who were standing right there. They said it was not true and that all they want is for Schofield to arrive at the agreed weight Saturday. Bahdi’s team also denied wanting to move the limit to 147 at the last minute and implied it is Schofield’s side that does.
Schofield made clear where his issue sits. “I like Bahdi. I like him...but his team? They talk too much trash so they’re going to have to be the ones in the hospital with ’em.”
The stakes are simple. Schofield (19-0, 13 KOs) and Bahdi (20-0, 15 KOs) meet Saturday at Wintrust Arena for the vacant WBA lightweight title, live on DAZN. Golden Boy founder Oscar De La Hoya summed it up: “Somebody’s 0 has got to go on Saturday night.” The belt is open after Gervonta Davis was moved to champion in recess, so the winner leaves Chicago as WBA lightweight champion. The two were in talks to fight in June 2025 on a card in Anaheim, but it never came together.
Schofield moved to Austin as a child, which is where “Kid Austin” comes from, and he returns after a 16-month absence. His last fight was a 78-second stoppage of former world champion Tevin Farmer in June 2025. Before that, a fight with Shakur Stevenson fell apart when Schofield pulled out three days before the bout after being hospitalized with an illness. In November 2024 he was knocked down by Rene Tellez Giron in his first 12-round fight and still won a unanimous decision.
The trash talk has followed Schofield and his father and trainer, Floyd Schofield Sr., for years. Saturday is when it gets backed up.
Bahdi, a 32-year-old from Niagara Falls, Ontario, built his name on a sixth-round knockout of Ashton Sylve in July 2024. Since then, Armando Casamonica, Ryan James Racaza and former world champion Roger Gutierrez all lasted the distance with him. He talks like a puncher, and 15 knockouts in 20 fights says he is one, but his three most recent wins did not end early. He has not fought since August 2025.
Golden Boy, which promotes Schofield, is not hiding who it believes in. “I believe Lucas Bahdi is a tremendous, tremendous athlete,” De La Hoya said. “But the difference with Floyd Schofield is that he’s a tremendous, tremendous fighter. That’s going to be the difference. Floyd Schofield eats, breathes, sleeps boxing so it’s going to be a special treat for the Chicago fans to watch.” A Schofield win would make him the 40th world champion Golden Boy has produced. De La Hoya also looked past Saturday. “I think the champion is going to move on to bigger and better things,” he said. “Possibly unifying. Possibly moving up different weight classes. The opportunities are endless after Saturday night but it’s not going to be easy for both guys.”
The question at the center of the fight is simple. Bahdi’s power is real, and Schofield has been dropped before. But Schofield has 13 knockouts of his own in 19 fights and finished his last night in 78 seconds. If Bahdi is looking for the knockout, Schofield’s whisper made clear he is looking for one too.
The card’s second title fight has a new look. Ricardo Sandoval (27-2, 18 KOs) of Montclair, California, defends his unified WBA and WBC flyweight belts against Sergio Mendoza (27-1, 23 KOs) of Mexico, who came in as the new opponent after Oscar Collazo withdrew with a rib injury.
Schofield said how it ends. Bahdi said it ends differently. By Saturday night, one of them will be wrong.