Schofield outpoints Bahdi to claim vacant WBA lightweight crown in Chicago

Floyd Schofield Jr. is a world champion. The 24-year-old American outpointed Canada's Lucas Bahdi by unanimous decision on Saturday night at Chicago's Wintrust Arena to claim the vacant WBA lightweight title, moving his perfect record to 20-0 with 13 knockouts. Judges scored the DAZN-headlined contest 115-111, 116-110 and 119-108 in Schofield's favour, though the wide third card did not reflect how competitive the 12-round battle was. Schofield seized control in the third, flooring Bahdi with a left hook to the body for the fight's first knockdown. Bahdi roared back in the sixth, badly hurting Schofield with a huge right hand that briefly sent him to one knee without a knockdown being called. Bahdi was credited with a knockdown in the eleventh after tangled feet sent Schofield to the canvas, but the American stayed composed and boxed smartly through the final round to secure the belt. In the co-main event, Mexico's Sergio Mendoza produced an upset of the year contender, dropping Ricardo Sandoval twice in the second round and stopping him in the fifth to seize the unified WBC/WBA flyweight titles. Mendoza (28-1, 24 KOs), who took the fight on just seven days' notice, dedicated the win to his brother, who had recently passed away.