Lucas Bahdi is set for his next bout against Ryan James Racaza on March 7 at The Theatre at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto in Etobicoke, ON. The pair square off in a lightweight bout, headlining Most Valuable Prospects 11, live on DAZN. The fight card marks the promotion’s first event in Canada.
Undefeated Bahdi (18-0, 15 KOs) earned three victories in 2024, including a majority decision against Armando Casamonica on the undercard of Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson last November. In July, the native of Niagara Falls, Ontario, knocked out Ashton Sylve in the sixth round, after stopping Jose Luis Rodriguez in the fourth round in June. In November, the 31-year-old signed with MVP.
Unbeaten Racaza (15-0, 11 KOs) makes his first ring appearance in over 15 months, as well as international debut. In his previous bout in late 2023, the 28-year-old Filipino southpaw TKO’d Leonardo Doronio in the sixth round.
“I’m excited to kick off the new year alongside some of Canada’s brightest boxing talents at Most Valuable Prospects 11, add another highlight reel KO to my collection, and set the stage for what promises to be an unforgettable journey ahead,” Lucas Bahdi said.
The co-feature on the night is scheduled to see Sara Bailey (5-0) making the second defense of her WBA 108 lbs title. In her previous outing last December, the North Vancouver native defeated Anabel Ortiz by unanimous decision. The 30-year-old claimed the belt by UD against Maria Guadalupe Bautista last April. The challenger going up against Bailey at MVP 11 is yet to be determined.
“Bringing this level of boxing to Toronto is huge for the sport, and I’m grateful to MVP for putting a spotlight on women’s boxing and rising athletes with this event,” Sara Bailey said. “Canada has a deep pool of talent and I’m looking forward to representing on Friday, March 7.”
Also on the MVP 11 fight card is a middleweight bout between Tammara Thibeault (1-0) of Saint-Georges, Quebec and Sonya Dreiling (6-7, 2 KOs) of Greeley, Colorado. Plus, Mark Smither (13-1) of Newmarket, Ontario is in action against an opponent to be named at super lightweight.
The preliminary card features Puerto Rican middleweight Alexis Chaparro (3-0, 3 KOs) and heavyweight Doni Foreman (1-0, 1 KOs) of Brampton, Ontario in separate bouts. Plus, twins Angel Barrientes (12-1, 7 KOs) and Chavez Barrientes (10-0, 6 KOs) of Honolulu, Hawaii in separate super bantamweight bouts. Their respective opponents and full lineup are expected to be confirmed shortly.