Ebanie Bridges: Gracious in Defeat

Ebanie Bridges: Gracious in Defeat

Ebanie Bridges had a multitude of ready-made excuses available at her disposal after her upset defeat to Miyo Yoshida on Saturday night in San Francisco. To her credit, she made none.

Bridges could have used her year-long hiatus from the sport, adapting to the ways of her new trainer Dave Coldwell, having to adapt to the style of Yoshida who came in at just twenty days’ notice. Or even the constant changing of possible opponents once the original opponent Avril Mathie pulled out through injury. The Australian could have cited a previously undisclosed injury. Bridges could even have blamed the constant and many outside interests that she has away from the sport. But Bridges lost with grace and offered no excuses for her defeat to the new IBF bantamweight champion. The Australian posted the following on her social media platforms:

‘Absolutely gutted. It wasn’t my night. Big congrats to my opponent Miyo Yoshida she was the better fighter tonight. Beautiful & humble, single mother. Seeing how much that win meant to her & her daughter did give me some warmth inside. A loss doesn’t define me. I have no quit. It’s all learning, and I’ll be back better & stronger. Thank you to everyone who supports me. I love you all.’

Yoshida was classy in victory with her post-fight statement:

‘I respect Bridges a lot, and I had wanted to fight her all the time. She is a great champion, and so when I got notice of this fight, I was ready for it, and I was in condition. I’ve been fighting since I was 20 years old, and I gave everything to her. To my daughter and the other families in my situation, I want to encourage you. If you don’t give up, this is going to happen.’

The post-fight embrace between the two fighters was a genuinely touching moment and says plenty about both. There are ways to win. There are ways to lose. Yoshida and Bridges demonstrated this perfectly on Saturday night. Yoshida deserved her moment. Bridges didn’t try to take it away from her.

It was a shocking unexpected loss to Yoshida. Bridges came in as an extremely strong 1/7 betting favourite. Yoshida was coming in after two defeats in her last three fights. Nobody outside the Yoshida inner circle could possibly have forecasted Bridges losing her title in her second defence. But Yoshida was inspired and tactically fought the perfect fight. Even Bridges conceded that she was beaten by the better fighter on the night.

Sadly, the faceless trolls came out in force long before Yoshida was formally announced as the winner. Bridges has always had her fair share of haters. But even if they don’t approve of her methods, they should give Bridges the respect she deserves for her accomplishments in the ring. Just eleven fights in, four world title fights, and the record books will always say Ebanie Bridges was a world champion. Nobody can take that away from her. Bridges showed her class in defeat. The trolls could learn a thing or two from her.

Time will tell if Bridges can return to reclaim her old IBF bauble. Her words post-fight indicate that is her wish. Bridges has said she wants the rematch. I’d be surprised if she didn’t get one. Her life to date tells us that Bridges will indeed return a better fighter. Something tells me the Ebanie Bridges story isn’t finished just yet.

Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom