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MVP’S “PRINCE” LUCAS BAHDI DEFEATS RYAN “THE UNTOUCHABLE” RACAZA ON MVP’S MOST VALUABLE PROSPECTS 11 IN TORONTO, CANADA AVAILABLE FREE GLOBALLY ON DAZN
Sara Bailey successfully defends WBA world title against Cristina Navarro; Mark Smither takes home UD win over Jaime Cuesta
MVP’s Tamm Thibeault delivers sensational TKO of Sonya Dreiling at the first round bell after fighting equal rules with three-minute rounds
TORONTO, CANADA – March 8, 2025 – 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, 78-74x2).
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).
The Most Valuable Prospects series is produced and marketed by MVP. United Boxing Promotions served as the official licensed promoter of Most Valuable Prospects 11. The 11th event in the series continued the commitment from MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian to highlight the world’s best up-and-coming boxing talent. All events within Most Valuable Prospects will take place on Friday nights in 2025. CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, maker of lifestyle energy drink, is the exclusive energy drink sponsor of MVP and the Most Valuable Prospects series.
For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions and @DAZNBoxing or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions and @DAZNBoxing.
About MVP
MVP was founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian in 2021. With the mission to provide more creative control to fighters, MVP works to identify, grow, and maximize return for its own events and talent partners. One year into its inception, MVP was nominated as one of the prestigious Sports Breakthroughs of the Year in 2022 by Sports Business Journal. MVP have produced Jake Paul’s last six global pay-per-view events, including the recent Paul vs. Perry match. The promotion company also signed one of the most decorated Hispanic athletes of all time, Amanda Serrano in its first year. Serrano and MVP made history in April of 2022 when Serrano went head to head with Katie Taylor, marking the first female fight to headline at Madison Square Garden, earning a nomination for Event of The Year by Sports Business Journal. MVP made history again in November 2024 with Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2, the first-ever live professional sports event on Netflix. MVP’s Paul vs. Tyson streamed live globally on Netflix and shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event ever with 108 million live viewers globally. Co-founder Nakisa Bidarian was an executive producer of Paul vs. Tyson and the historic Triller Presents Mike Tyson v. Roy Jones Jr., which was the 8th most bought pay-per-view event in history.
About DAZN
DAZN is the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL (excl. USA). We are building the ultimate sports entertainment platform, based on premium sports rights, world-leading tech, and multi-platform distribution. DAZN believes that fans from across the globe should be able to watch, read, bet, play, share, socialise, buy tickets and merchandise, all in one place, with one account, one wallet and on one app.
For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit dazngroup.com.
About United Boxing Promotions
Featuring the province's best fighters in world-class venues, Tyler Buxton's United Boxing Promotions has a two-decade track record of developing elite-level Canadian boxing talent and delivering one of the premier fan experiences in Ontario sport.
About Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto
Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Canada’s newest and largest casino resort, and one of the largest in North America, opened in June 2023. The $1 billion dollar landmark entertainment destination features 328,000 sq. ft. of gaming space including High Limit Table and Slot rooms, 400-room hotel, wellness and fitness area, multiple dining options, private event and flexible meeting space, and 5,000-person The Theatre, its live entertainment venue in association with Live Nation, which plays host to the best in live music, comedy, and special events.
Consistent with Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto’s commitment to responsible gambling, the property also features two PlaySmart Centres on the gaming floor, filled with engaging interactive tools and valuable responsible gambling resources available for all players, including information on how to participate in OLG’s voluntary My PlayBreak program if they choose to take a break from gambling.
