Ebanie Bridges Returns in San Francisco: New Opponent, Same Goal

Ebanie Bridges Returns in San Francisco: New Opponent. Same Goal

Despite everything else that surrounds the life of Ebanie Bridges, you sense inside a boxing ring is where she calls home. She doesn’t have to fight. It’s for the love of the sport that Bridges dares to be different. It’s what she does best. The Australian returns this weekend to her most natural habitat to make the second defence of her IBF bantamweight title against late substitute and the former two-time WBO super-flyweight champion Miyo Yoshida in San Francisco on the undercard of the big Regis Prograis Devin Haney showdown on Saturday night live on DAZN.

Yoshida (16-4) was drafted in when Avril Mathie withdrew a few weeks through injury, and despite coming into the fight on a loss to Shurretta Metcalf last month, Bridges will know she can take nothing for granted. The reigning IBF bauble holder got her maiden world title opportunity in similar circumstances and came agonisingly close to upsetting the odds in 2021 against Shannon Courtenay. Bridges is unlikely to focus on what lies ahead and not the here and now.

Bridges (9-1) hasn’t fought in a year, a night when Shannon O’Connell realised what the difference between perception and reality really is. Bridges fought with spite and venom, and despite that lingering injury to her troublesome right hand, showed another little dimension to her game. It could have been fought on the cobbles and not inside that Leeds Arena. At times, it resembled a street fight. Bridges was always likely to win such a fight. And she did. The referee rescued her fellow Australian. Rescue being the correct word. It was only going one way. Bridges then celebrated her sweetest victory. There were no pre-fight hugs. The animosity ran deep. Too deep for Bridges to forgive and forget.

Bridges hasn’t been seen since at least not inside a boxing ring. The right hand has been surgically repaired. The IBF champion has been fighting that injury as much as she has been fighting her opponents. Her achievements, impressive enough on their own, are even more remarkable when you consider how much that debilitating injury has affected her.

The return of Ebanie Bridges could have come in August, but when no suitable opponent could be found, Bridges had to sit not so patiently on the outside looking in. But that return has finally arrived, and Bridges will look to make up for lost time and send a little reminder to her rivals that she is back. It’s an overused term, but you sense the Australian will look to make a statement. The odds say that she will.

Many things get glossed over in the Ebanie Bridges story. The other sides of her life often mask her fighting ability. Shannon O’Connell found that out the hard way. But many things get missed. A narrative that many will try to force-feed on you. But Bridges has been proving people wrong her entire life. A jack of all trades. Master of many. The former mechanic. The former bodybuilder. The former maths teacher. The current IBF bantamweight champion of the world. There is an obvious theme. Success.

Bridges will leave her adopted home, the scene of her last few fights, to fight in San Francisco this weekend. A new hand. A new trainer. Dave Coldwell replacing Mark Tibbs. An interesting new addition to the inner circle, and one that offers much promise. In many ways, it’s a new beginning for Ebanie Bridges.

A win over Yoshida will set up 2024 just nicely. Bridges will chase the big fights. In truth, the rest just chase her. They know what fighting her means. Nina Hughes, the WBA champion wants to fight Bridges. An obvious fight. An easy fight to make on paper. An even better fight where it matters most. But Bridges will only do what’s right for her. And she will want paying accordingly. She knows her worth and won’t be shortchanged. Bridges understands that boxing is a business better than most.

Bridges is strongly favoured to beat Yoshida. The odds reflect the way the fight will likely go. The Australian stopped O’Connell a year ago. Don’t rule out Yoshida suffering the same fate.

Photo Credit: Matchroom Boxing