Schofield Camp Threatens to Scrap Bahdi Fight Over Weight

Floyd Schofield's father is threatening to cancel Saturday's vacant WBA lightweight title fight against Lucas Bahdi if Bahdi comes in heavier than 146 pounds at Saturday's second-day weight check in Chicago.

The dispute surfaced Friday night, hours after both fighters made the 135-pound lightweight limit at the official weigh-in. Illinois commission rules require fighters in championship bouts to stay within 10 pounds of the contract weight at the second-day check, meaning Bahdi is capped at 145 pounds under state regulations. Floyd Schofield Sr. claims Bahdi's team pushed to negotiate a 15-pound allowance that would have let the Canadian rehydrate to 150 pounds, and alleges Bahdi's side offered an extra $250,000 for every pound above the limit it was granted. Schofield Sr. says his camp ultimately agreed to let Bahdi go to 146 pounds, but will refuse to let the fight happen if Bahdi weighs in any heavier than that.

A representative for Bahdi flatly rejected that account, calling it "total bullshit" and insisting Bahdi will check in at 145 pounds or under. That leaves two conflicting versions of what was actually negotiated between the camps, with no independent confirmation of the alleged $250,000-per-pound offer or whether Illinois regulators ever sanctioned a 146-pound exception in the first place.

What The Weight Fight Means For Saturday's Card

The public disagreement adds real uncertainty to a fight that was supposed to be settled at the scales. Schofield's camp is clearly worried about how much size and strength Bahdi can add back between the official weigh-in and fight night, a legitimate competitive concern in a vacant title bout where both men are presumably banking on a size or chin advantage holding up. Whether this is genuine brinkmanship meant to rattle Bahdi before a 50-50 fight, or a real threat that could blow up Saturday's main event, will only become clear when Bahdi steps on the scale for the second-day check.

Bahdi's team has given itself an easy number to hit. Coming in at 145 pounds or below would satisfy both the Illinois limit described in the dispute and Schofield Sr.'s own stated demand, which would make this entire standoff moot by fight day. Anything north of 146 pounds turns a weight-check formality into a live cancellation threat just hours before the opening bell.

Betting Angle

Rehydration clauses and second-day weigh-in disputes like this one tend to move markets even when nothing changes in the ring, because bettors start pricing in the chance a title fight gets scrapped entirely. Until Bahdi's final number is confirmed, any line on this fight carries extra risk tied to a non-boxing variable. If Bahdi does check in at 145 or lighter as his team claims, expect the market to settle back toward wherever it was pricing the matchup purely on styles and form. If he comes in heavier and the fight proceeds anyway, sharp bettors will likely shade toward Bahdi given the rehydration advantage, since a bigger jump between weigh-in weight and fight night usually favors the naturally larger man.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Floyd Schofield's camp threatening to cancel the fight against Lucas Bahdi?

Floyd Schofield's father claims Lucas Bahdi's team tried to negotiate a 15-pound rehydration allowance above the lightweight limit, and says Schofield's camp will cancel Saturday's WBA title fight if Bahdi weighs more than 146 pounds at the second-day check.

What weight does Lucas Bahdi need to make for the fight to go on?

Bahdi's representative says he will come in at 145 pounds or below at the second-day weight check, which would satisfy both the Illinois commission's 10-pound rehydration rule and Schofield's camp's stated 146-pound demand.

What title is on the line in the Schofield vs. Bahdi fight?

Floyd Schofield and Lucas Bahdi are fighting for the vacant WBA lightweight title Saturday in Chicago on a card cross-promoted by Golden Boy and Most Valuable Promotions.