Ebanie Bridges: A New Beginning

Ebanie Bridges: A New Beginning

Ebanie Bridges has her critics and many of them, not that she will care too much. Many are blinded by other aspects of her life. The links to Only Fans they see. But they fail to see just how far she has come in her boxing career and in such a short period of time. They can’t seem to separate the different avenues of her life.

But there is respect from her peers. In a recent interview with a renowned Australian trainer, the name of Bridges arose:

“Ebanie is an absolute wrecking machine. If you can’t nail her to the canvas, she will just keep coming at you.” Evidence of that narrative we saw Leeds in December.

Bridges hasn’t fought since she bludgeoned her Australian rival and mandatory challenger Shannon O’Connell to a painful and humbling defeat last December in Leeds. O’Connell brought real credentials and confidence, and trust me, there was a lot of uncertainty around ringside. Even more so when O’Connell caught Bridges with a big right hand towards the end of the opening round. That was her moment. In truth, her only one. Bridges looked momentarily hurt. But for O’Connell, the moment was all too brief. It came and went without reward.

While O’Connell did the pre-fight words with much venom, Bridges just listened and remembered. You sensed that when the two combatants touched gloves at the start of their fight, O’Connell remembered also. Some of the bravado seemed to disappear from her body when she locked eyes with her opponent. By the middle of round two, most of the fight had left also.

Bridges hasn’t fought since. The right hand that was injured back in 2021 in her fight with Mailys Gangloff needed surgery. With rehabilitation and time, Bridges is now closing in on her return.

A voluntary defence will be first up later this summer, and if successful, Bridges will turn her attentions to unification fights with Nina Hughes, the WBA champion, the likely and most obvious fight to make.

It is many ways, a new beginning for Bridges. A move up north is imminent. Bridges is a master of making the right decisions at the right time for her career. Many will have questioned many of her previous boxing related decisions, and the same people would have been proved wrong. Repeatedly.

Bridges has backed herself as well as any other fighter in recent memory. Giving up plenty, sometimes selfishly so, but she has reaped her rewards. That success has brought resentment in some quarters, when it should have brought admiration for what she has achieved. Doors might have been opened a little early for her, but Bridges has made those doors open for herself. The relentless grind of interviews while the world slept in Covid hit times got her name out there. In truth, you couldn’t miss it. Some of her methods might be controversial to some. But it was beyond clever. And executed perfectly. In simple terms, it worked. Getting a seat at the table is one thing. Staying there is another. Bridges is still here for a reason. She can fight.

The next phase of her career will be of much interest. Bridges has fought through pain and restrictions in her last three fights. With that right hand now surgically repaired, there might be ominous signs ahead for the rest of her division. You sense we will see a fighter intent on making up for lost time.

Photo Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing