Ebanie Bridges Heads to Leeds In December

Ebanie Bridges Heads to Leeds In December

It seems no matter what Ebanie Bridges does in her boxing career, to some, it will never be enough. They will find their excuses, ignore many other things including reality, and lambast and negatively critique her performances and achievements. Much of their criticism, hate in some cases, is probably pre-written, it would be a shame not to use their scripted words they probably think.

The Australian, now based happily and settled in the UK, has achieved many things in her life and career. Bridges has survived many things, changed perceptions, and to the annoyance of some, won a world title.

Even when she beat the long-reigning IBF bantamweight champion, Maria Cecilia Roman, in March, that negativity still came. The focus was on what Roman didn’t do, forgetting what Bridges did do. Bridges won and won wide with some degree of comfort. There were improvements, more refinement, and yet again, Bridges proved she could fight.

It is nothing new to Bridges, having to prove people wrong. She accepts, albeit with reluctance, that she has to work a little harder than most to satisfy the masses. Boxing fans are fickle, Bridges is the perceived outsider, a Social Media hype machine who got noticed and signed because of things outside of boxing. They forget, that she is still here because she has proved herself to be rather good at her craft. Getting signed is one thing. Staying is another. Bridges is still here for a reason.

Every performance, every win comes with the same old backlash. Bec Connolly was weight drained, she wasn’t, but it didn’t stop those that wanted to find excuses for what Bridges impressively did to Connolly. Mailys Gangloff was robbed in a dodgy decision in Leeds last year. She wasn’t, it was close, nothing more. Bridges fought through hand and calf injuries and still edged past a very good opponent who has title aspirations of her own. Connolly and Gangloff didn’t complain, or at least not loud enough to hear, but others did for them. Why?

Bridges will return to Leeds, her adopted city, in December to defend her title for the first time against fellow Australian Shannon O’Connell. Even the decision to want to defend her belt in the UK wasn’t with criticism, hate even in some quarters. Having recently uprooted her entire life halfway across the world, wanting to stay and fight in England was for her, sensible and understandable.

O’Connell brings plenty to the table, considered the top-rated bantamweight contender by virtually everyone, it is a fight that will likely steal the night and even outshine the hometown hero that is Josh Warrington. O’Connell will, some will hope be the one to beat Bridges, whose only loss was to a different Shannon back in 2021. Even if Bridges defeats her rival, the excuses will already have been formed. Even in victory, Bridges can’t win in the eyes of her critics.

Bridges will not care much, she probably thrives on it, proving people wrong once again. It has been some story, some life, a best-selling autobiography in the making. Leeds in December will be just another chapter. The hope is, that if she leaves Leeds with her title still in her hands, Bridges finally gets the credit she deserves.