Lucas Bahdi defeats Roger Gutiérrez: as it happened

Lucas Bahdi remained unbeaten after 20 professional fights, defeating Venezuelan Roger Gutiérrez by unanimous decision in a 12-round lightweight bout. The fight, part of the Yoenis Téllez headliner at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, ended with scorecards of 116–111, 117–110, and 115–112 in favor of “Prince” Bahdi.

The opening round belonged to Bahdi, who used his footwork to control the distance and punish Gutiérrez, a former world champion. The Venezuelan responded with combinations to the body, but Bahdi kept him at bay.

Gutiérrez showed signs of fatigue early but finished the third round aggressively, pinning Bahdi against the ropes. Despite the pressure, he failed to land a clean shot at close range.

Midway through the fourth, Bahdi rocked his opponent with a powerful right hand to the head. Though slower on his feet, Gutiérrez stood firm and tried to answer with his jab, but Bahdi’s left hook and body work proved more effective.

In the fifth, Gutiérrez’s jab began to push Bahdi back. The Canadian’s guard loosened as he looked to increase his output, but his strategy backfired as Gutiérrez absorbed the shots and returned fire.

The sixth round brought high drama. Gutiérrez opened with a jab and landed a heavy right that staggered Bahdi. Regaining his composure, the Canadian of Palestinian and Italian descent dropped the Venezuelan with a right hand to the jaw in the closing seconds. The count saved Gutiérrez from a knockout.

Smelling blood, Bahdi opened the seventh with a flurry of combinations, forcing Gutiérrez to clinch for survival. In the eighth, Bahdi closed the distance and targeted the guard with uppercuts, but the Venezuelan weathered the storm.

By the ninth, Gutiérrez looked drained and labored for breath, his left eye beginning to close. Bahdi stayed patient, taking control in the tenth with steady punches to the body and head rather than chasing a knockout.

Knowing his only chance was a stoppage, Gutiérrez swung wildly in the 11th, but his shots lacked both accuracy and power.

In the final round, Bahdi capitalized on his opponent’s desperation, countering precisely each time Gutiérrez left an opening. The Venezuelan mocked Bahdi’s punching style in frustration, drawing laughter from the crowd, but the outcome was clear. At the final bell, Bahdi walked away with little more than a swollen cheekbone and his 20th consecutive victory.

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