Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield is close to sealing a comeback assignment against unbeaten Canadian puncher Lucas Bahdi on the Jake Paul–Julio César Chávez Jr. pay-per-view June 28 in Anaheim, multiple sources tell BoxingScene. The 10-round lightweight bout would slot beneath Paul-Chávez and cruiserweight title fights featuring Gilberto Ramírez and Yuniel Dorticos.
Schofield hasn’t fought since a decision over Rene Tellez Giron last November. His February title shot with WBC champion Shakur Stevenson collapsed when the 22-year-old Texan withdrew mid-fight week with flu-like symptoms, leaving Josh Padley to absorb a ninth-round knockout. The scratch cost Schofield momentum and drew online heat; he now aims to reboot against Bahdi rather than the top-10 opponents critics demanded.
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Bahdi owns IBF No. 9 rankings thanks to a one-punch, sixth-round stoppage of Ashton Sylve last July in Montreal. The 31-year-old has fought two times since and must silence whispers that the Sylve knockout was lightning in a bottle.
Talks intensified after Schofield’s father-trainer revealed an exploratory call from Abdullah Mason’s team fizzled when he countered with a $2.5 million purse demand. Team Mason moved on; Schofield pivoted to the Paul-Chávez show, where Saudi funding has fattened undercard checks.
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