Lightweight Lucas Bahdi will fight a southpaw for the first time in his career on Friday when he meets Ryan James Racaza at the Toronto Casino Resort in Toronto. 

Bahdi, 31, has, since knocking out undefeated top prospect Ashton Sylve, gone on to sign with Most Valuable Promotions promotion and this will be his second fight under that promotional banner. He fought on the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson pay-per-view undercard and will now be heading back to Canada to headline a fight card built around him, with some emerging talent featured as well. Bahdi’s opponent, Racaza, a 28-year-old Filipino southpaw, was a deliberate choice given where Bahdi finds himself in his career. 

“He's a southpaw and it is my first time fighting a southpaw as a professional,” Bahdi told BoxingScene. “He's a very tough, tough dude, undefeated guy, and it looks like he's a puncher based on his record.”

When looking at the titleholders, Shakur Stevenson, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and Gervonta Davis, they are all southpaws. In fact, even William Zepeda, an interim titleholder, is a southpaw. The only non-southpaw who has held a belt recently is Keyshawn Davis, who won his belt from the southpaw Denys Berinchyk. This fight against Racaza therefore serves as valuable experience ahead of what Bahdi may encounter in the future.  

“The reason why I decided to take a southpaw is because at least 50% of the world champions right now are southpaws, so we’ve got to be ready if that call comes,” Bahdi, 18-0 (15 KOs), said.

Racaza, 15-0 (11 KOs), will be fighting for the first time outside the Philippines and hasn’t fought since December 2023. Should Bahdi defeat him, he will move a step closer to a title shot. 

“I think I'm a couple fights away [from challenging for a belt],” Bahdi said. “Another fight or two. I'm right there. I’m now seven in the WBA and eight in the IBF. It's just a matter of time now.”