Canada’s Lucas “Prince” Bahdi (20-0, 15 KOs) took a major step toward a world title shot on Saturday night, earning a hard-fought unanimous decision over former world champion Roger Gutiérrez (29-7-1, 22 KOs) in a twelve-round WBA lightweight eliminator at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.

The scorecards read 117-110, 116-111, and 115-112, all for Bahdi, who had to adjust on the fly against the Venezuelan slugger’s power and pressure.

The key moment came in the sixth round, when Bahdi clipped Gutiérrez with a sharp right hand during an exchange, sending him to the canvas and tilting the momentum firmly in his favor. From that point, Bahdi controlled the pace, mixing movement with sharp counters to offset Gutiérrez’s aggression.

Despite giving up height and reach, Bahdi showcased composure and ring generalship, imposing his style in the late rounds to seal the win. The victory keeps his perfect record intact and puts him squarely in line for a crack at lightweight gold.

For Gutiérrez, the setback marked his first fight since losing his belt, and while he showed flashes of his old firepower, the knockdown and Bahdi’s consistency proved too much to overcome.

With the win, Bahdi not only stays unbeaten but also establishes himself as a legitimate contender in one of boxing’s deepest divisions.