Floyd Schofield would lose his newly won lightweight belt to Abdullah Mason, according to Tim Bradley, who believes his movement against Lucas Bahdi exposed weaknesses a quicker opponent could exploit.
“Even Abdullah Mason is on an entirely different level than Schofield,” Bradley said on his channel in his post-fight breakdown. “You ain’t going to keep that belt that long, bro.”
That puts Bradley against the matchup Schofield’s father has been pushing for. His confidence in his son beating Mason faces a different reading from Bradley, who sees technical flaws beneath Schofield’s speed and athleticism.
Bradley’s main criticism concerns how Schofield controls distance. He believes Schofield moves too much without maintaining a stable punching position, leaving openings as he bounces around the ring. His proposed correction is a firmer jab, feints, and smaller steps that allow him to defend while remaining ready to punch.
Bahdi’s slower feet, in Bradley’s view, prevented him from consistently taking advantage. Being able to move away from Bahdi doesn’t establish that Schofield could do the same against an opponent who closes distance faster.
But Bradley’s own breakdown also offers reasons to question how emphatically he dismisses Schofield’s chances.
He praised the switch to southpaw, which disrupted Bahdi’s right-hand attacks and helped Schofield land shorter combinations. He also credited Schofield’s stamina and use of clinches to interrupt Bahdi’s momentum.
“That was a great technical and tactical shift,” Bradley said of the stance change.
Those adjustments deserve consideration when discussing Mason. Schofield showed he could change his approach when his initial offense wasn’t enough. Bradley identified weaknesses, but he also described a fighter capable of solving some of the difficulties in front of him.
A Mason fight would test whether Schofield can control distance with less movement and fewer openings. His speed gives him options; learning when to plant his feet and when to take a small step could make those options more effective.
Bradley favors Mason strongly. Schofield’s performance gives his camp plenty to work on before trying to prove him wrong.
