Undefeated WBA #7-ranked and #8-ranked IBF lightweight contender ‘Prince’ Lucas Bahdi (19-0, 15 KOs) continued his flawless career with a dominant performance against Ryan ‘The Untouchable’ Racaza (15-1, 11 KOs) in a hard-fought 10-round showdown last night.
Bahdi, known for delivering the most-awarded knockout of the year 2024, was surgical in his attack, picking his spots perfectly and landing several power shots and combinations throughout the bout. The highlight of the fight came in the seventh round when Bahdi sent Racaza to the canvas with a massive knockdown. Bahdi sealed his victory with a devastating left hook in the final round. Despite Racaza’s resilience, Bahdi’s dominance was evident, securing him a unanimous decision win (99-90, 96-93, 97-92). After the bout, Bahdi made it clear he’s ready to challenge for a world title, giving a shout out to MVP, his fans, and Racaza for putting up a tough fight. Most Valuable Promotions brought the 11th installment of its Most Valuable Prospects series to Canadian soil for the first time at the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, promoted by United Boxing Promotions. The event was available globally for free on DAZN.com and the DAZN app with no subscription required, marking a significant milestone for MVP’s up-and-coming talent showcase series in collaboration with Caribe Royale Orlando.
In the co-main event, Canada’s own WBA light flyweight world champion Sara Bailey (6-0) successfully defended her WBA world title for the second time in a 10-round women’s championship fight against Spain’s Cristina Navarro (6-3, 1 KO). Bailey came out firing from the opening bell, showcasing her explosive power and maintaining control over Navarro throughout the bout. Despite Navarro’s resilience, Bailey secured a unanimous decision victory (99-91 x3). Later in the evening, Bailey returned to the ring — this time in Bahdi’s corner — to show her support during his headlining fight.
Barrie, Ontario’s own “Marvelous” Mark Smither (14-1) faced the previously undefeated American Jaime Cuesta (10-1, 3 KOs) in an 8-round men’s super lightweight showdown. United Promotions’ Smither controlled the fight from start to finish, applying relentless pressure and showcasing his technical prowess. The judges scored the contest unanimously in Smither’s favor (79-73, 78-74×2).
MVP’s two-time Canadian Olympian, amateur world champion, and the #7-ranked WBA middleweight contender Tamm Thibeault (2-0, 1 KO) opened the main card against American Sonya Drieling (6-8, 2 KOs), making a bold statement for women’s equality in boxing by fighting equal rules to men with three-minute rounds. From the opening bell, Thibeault quickly established herself as the dominant rising force in the women’s middleweight division, dropping Dreiling early and proving the power of equal rules in women’s boxing by securing a sensational TKO victory at the exact 3:00 mark of the first round. The finish earned Thibeault the Most Valuable Prospects Performance of the Night, brought to you by the Caribe Royale Orlando. In her post-fight interview with Sibley Scoles, Thibeault expressed her pride in performing for the Canadian crowd and her commitment to breaking barriers for women in the sport. She credited MVP’s support for empowering her to lead the charge for equality and inspire the next generation of fighters.
In the preliminary card headliner, Brampton, Ontario’s standout 29-year-old heavyweight prospect Doni Foreman (2-0, 2 KO) proved himself as one of Canada’s most exciting new talents as he retained his perfect record against 24-year-old Czech fighter Pavel Ourednik (4-1, 4 KOs) with a sensational showcase of power and discipline in the ring. Foreman scored a double knockdown of Ourednik in the first round before sending Ourednik to the mat for the final time with a third round TKO.
Boxlab Promotions’ young talent Angel Barrientes (13-1, 8 KOs) wasted no time making his mark on Tonawanda, NY’s Alexander Castellano (11-2-2, 2 KOs). Barrientes dropped Castellano with a looping right hook in the third round, followed by a relentless barrage in the fourth. Despite Castellano’s attempts to rally, Barrientes sealed the win with a seventh-round TKO. Opening the preliminary card, Alex Bray (9-0, 7 KOs) extended his undefeated streak in an 8-round super welterweight clash against Argentina’s Victoriano Santillian (13-8-2, 8 KOs). Bray, the 18-year-old Melbourne, Florida, phenom, controlled the pace, earning a majority decision victory (76-76, 74-78, 73-79).
