On Saturday night, he finally got his hands on one.

Schofield captured the vacant WBA lightweight title with a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Lucas Bahdi at Chicago's Wintrust Arena, taking another major step in his transformation from promising prospect to legitimate force in the lightweight division.

The official scores were 116-110, 119-108 and 115-111.

For Schofield, the victory was especially satisfying considering everything that preceded it.

He was scheduled to challenge pound-for-pound star Shakur Stevenson in February 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but that opportunity disappeared when he withdrew during fight week because of illness. Four months later, he made a statement by knocking out former world champion Tevin Farmer in the opening round.

Then came another lengthy period of inactivity.

Against Bahdi, Schofield was returning from more than 15 months away from the ring. He wasn't facing an opponent brought in to make him look good, either. Bahdi was dangerous and determined to become a world champion himself.

Schofield started well, using his speed and combinations to establish control. He dropped Bahdi in the third round and appeared to be heading toward a comfortable victory.

But Bahdi wasn't going away.

The Canadian continued pressing forward and eventually scored a flash knockdown of his own in the 11th round, reminding Schofield that championship fights can change in an instant.

Schofield survived the difficult moment and closed out the contest to secure the biggest victory of his career.

At 24, Schofield is 20-0 with 13 knockouts and holds one of the major world titles at 135 pounds. The question is no longer whether he can become a world champion. It's what he should do now that he's reached that level.

One possibility is a showdown with William Zepeda, who had two tough contests with Farmer. Both fighters are promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, which would theoretically eliminate some of the obstacles that often prevent significant fights from happening.

Zepeda is an aggressive, high-volume puncher who would provide Schofield with a very different challenge from Bahdi. He applies constant pressure, throws punches in bunches and rarely allows opponents to relax. The Mexican slugger is coming off a career-best performance over Lamont Roach.

For Schofield, a clash with Zepeda would be another chance to demonstrate that his speed, power and athleticism can overcome a dangerous opponent who refuses to take a backward step.

It's an attractive fight, particularly because both have built reputations around their willingness to engage.

Their mutual promoter, Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya, appeared reluctant to commit to that scenario when questioned about matching them next in a unification clash.

Another intriguing possibility is unbeaten WBO world champion Abdullah Mason. He is one of the most talented young fighters in the lightweight division, and a meeting with Schofield would match two members of boxing's emerging generation.

Both have tremendous upside, both are ambitious and both have ability that could make them fixtures near the top of the sport for years. It would be a fascinating matchup, although there is also an argument for allowing both fighters to continue building their profiles before putting them together.

Then there is the biggest name connected to Schofield's recent history: Stevenson.

Schofield never got to test himself against Stevenson when they were originally scheduled to meet. That unfinished business could eventually become an important storyline.

Stevenson is among boxing's most technically gifted fighters, and his defensive abilities would present a completely different puzzle from anything Schofield has encountered.

The matchup would carry considerable interest, but there are obvious questions involving weight, timing and whether the fight makes sense for either fighter at this stage. Schofield doesn't necessarily need to chase that immediately.

In fact, the smartest move might be something less dramatic — and keep Stevenson in the rearview mirror for a few more fights. The game plan for the time being should be to stay active.

Saturday's victory was impressive, but Schofield has fought only twice since November 2024. That's not ideal for a young fighter who is still developing and entering what should be the most important stretch of his career.

There is value in defending his title against a credible contender before pursuing a unification fight or another major assignment. Schofield showed against Bahdi that he can handle adversity, but he also demonstrated that there are areas of his game that can continue improving.

He doesn't need to rush himself to the biggest names in the weight class. The lightweight division is filled with talented fighters, and there will be no shortage of foes for a young, unbeaten world champion who has the backing of a major promotional company.

Zepeda and Mason are the types of matchups that can elevate Schofield from a newly crowned champion into one of the division's central attractions. But there is a difference between winning a world title and establishing a championship reign.

Schofield has accomplished the first part. Now comes the more difficult assignment. He needs to defend his title, continue improving and prove that Saturday night wasn't simply the culmination of his journey. It was the beginning of something much bigger.