Oscar De La Hoya expects Floyd Schofield to clean out the lightweight division, predicting an undisputed championship run before his prospect has picked up a single world title. Lucas Bahdi intends to tear that script up on October 10 in Chicago.

“He’s fast. He’s strong. He’s been in situations where he’s almost going to get beat, and he comes back and knocks the guy out. So, he has that will, that special ingredient that makes you great,” De La Hoya said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “I really do believe that Kid Austin can wipe out the division and become undisputed.”

Oscar took it a step further by comparing Schofield’s grit to Sugar Ray Leonard. That is a heavy benchmark to put on a young contender who is still cutting his teeth at the elite level.

Stopping Tevin Farmer provided Golden Boy with the highlight reel punch they needed to position Schofield as their next marquee star. It proved his quickness and pop are legit, yet it hardly guarantees he can blow past the best 135-pounders on the planet.

Bahdi brings real danger. Their contest for the vacant WBA strap will test whether Schofield can convert his promoter’s lofty praise into results under fire. Bahdi carries genuine power, so treating this meeting like a formality is asking for trouble.

Jumping from winning a belt to ruling an entire weight class is a massive leap. A single highlight knockout cannot reveal how Schofield handles someone eating his best shots, timing his rushes, or taking him deep into deep waters. Pure toughness is great, but ring IQ and real-time adjustments decide championships.

Golden Boy clearly has business reasons to talk big. The promotional outfit needs a fresh headline star, especially as uncertainty lingers around Ryan Garcia. Securing a young champion gives Oscar a new pillar to build major cards around.

The sales pitch makes sense commercially, but it does not settle the debate in the ring. De La Hoya is selling the finished article before the pieces are fully in place. If Schofield wants to conquer the division, he first needs to solve Bahdi.

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