EXCLUSIVE: Lucas ‘Prince’ Bahdi to headline 1st Canadian card for Jake Paul’s MVP series
Niagara Falls native one of several top-ranked Canadian fighters on card, which will be streamed on DAZN
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The Prince could become a King in the boxing world sooner rather than later.
After shining last year in the one of the biggest spotlights the boxing world has seen, Lucas “Prince” Bahdi is set to headline the first Canadian event put on by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions — as revealed exclusively to the Toronto Sun.
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EXCLUSIVE: Lucas ‘Prince’ Bahdi to headline 1st Canadian card for Jake Paul’s MVP series Back to video
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Bahdi, who won via decision against Armando Casamonica (who missed weight for the fight by several pounds) on the undercard of the massive Paul versus Mike Tyson event, now headlines an event stacked with Canadian talent at the Great Canadian Casino Resort and to be broadcast for free live on DAZN on March 7.
The Niagara Falls fighter will put his 18-0 record on the line against Ryan “The Untouchable” Racaza, who sports a spotless record as well at 15-0.
Bahdi, 31, is a top-ranked lightweight by both the IBF and WBA and renowned knockout artist, having won 15 of his fights by stoppage. He scored a highlight-reel KO against Ashton “H2O” Sylve on the main card of the Paul versus Mike Perry bout in July, which earned knockout-of-the-year plaudits from several notable publications.
Racaza, a 28-year-old southpaw from Caloocan, Philippines, has finished his last five opponents by knockout.
“Headlining MVP’s first event in Canada, free to watch on DAZN globally, is a huge moment for me and the exceptional boxing talent emerging from my country,” Bahdi said. “Thank you to Jake Paul, Nakisa Bidarian and everyone at Most Valuable Promotions for making this opportunity possible. 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.”
Etobicoke’s Sara Bailey will hope for a happy homecoming when she defends her WBA light-flyweight world championship in the co-main event.
Bailey made history last April when she dethroned Maria Bautista and became the fastest Canadian to win a world championship – doing so in just her fourth professional fight – and then successfully defended her title in December against Anabel Ortiz.
“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. Canada has a deep pool of talent and I’m looking forward to representing,” Bailey said.
Also on the card is MVP’s newest signee, Tamm Thibeault, who hails from Shawinigan, Que., and is the WBA’s eighth-ranked middleweight. Thibeault, the daughter of former CFL player Patrick Thibeault, is a two-time Olympian and has several amateur gold medals under her belt.
She made her pro debut while competing under men’s rules — three-minute rounds as opposed to the standard two – at Most Valuable Prospects 10 in December and will do so again in Toronto. This time, she’ll be facing Sonya Dreiling, a former U.S. National Golden Gloves champion and the 13th-ranked WBC middleweight.
“It is an honour to make history with MVP as part of the company’s first event in Canada,” Thibeault said. “Jake Paul, Nakisa Bidarian and MVP have been incredible advocates for me since I signed with MVP and I can’t wait to fight in front of our home fans and alongside so many talented Canadian athletes in my second pro fight.”
Barrie’s “Marvelous” Mark Smither, who boasts a 13-1 record, also will fight on the main-card in a 10-round super-lightweight bout with his opponent yet to be announced. Smither defeated Helmand Meran Alekozai for the Canadian super-lightweight title in the fall.
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The event highlights MVP’s dedication to expanding its brand worldwide after the massive success of the Paul-Tyson bout – which earned one of the biggest gates in boxing history and drew 108 million viewers worldwide on Netflix.
“MVP’s expansion into Canada marks a significant new chapter for MVP and underscores our commitment to discovering and promoting boxing talent from every corner of the globe,” Paul and Bidarian said in a statement. “Lucas Bahdi had a remarkable year in 2024 and he’s earned the opportunity to headline his first event, joined by our latest signee, Tamm Thibeault, alongside fellow standout Canadian talents like Sara Bailey.”
“Given Nakisa’s Toronto roots, this event is particularly meaningful, demonstrating our commitment to bringing world-class Canadian talent to the forefront and igniting a new era for boxing in Canada.”
Tickets for Most Valuable Prospects 11 will go on sale Monday at noon on Ticketmaster.
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