Ebanie Bridges: A Brand New Start

Ebanie Bridges: A Brand New Start

Ebanie Bridges last fought just over two years ago. The Australian was widely expected to defeat Miyo Yoshida and retain her IBF world bantamweight title, and then move on to unification fights and more. But Yoshida upset the odds to inflict the second defeat on the’ resume of Bridges.

2023 was a beyond frustrating year for Bridges. After a career-best performance against her fellow Australian Shannon O’Connell at the end of 2022 in Leeds, Bridges didn’t fight again until the end of the following year.

A lingering hand injury needed surgery and extensive rehabilitation. But when Bridges was ready to fight, boxing politics said otherwise. A change of trainer for the Yoshida fight didn’t work. To her immense credit, Bridges didn’t make excuses for the surprising defeat to Yoshida. But the Ebanie Bridges I saw bludgeon O’Connell to an 8th round stoppage defeat wasn’t the fighter who lost to Yoshida in America the following year.

Bridges (9-2) wanted to fight again, but her sport had other ideas. The former IBF champion then took a break from the sport, became a mother, and many would have thought that her boxing career was now in the past. But ever the fighter, Bridges is back.

The comeback begins on January 3rd in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On the undercard of the long-awaited rematch between Amanda Serrano and Erika Cruz, Bridges will begin her return with an eight-rounder against the American Alexis Araiza Mones.

“I’m excited to be getting back in the ring after some time out and even more excited to have my gorgeous son ringside,” Bridges said in a press release to announce her comeback fight.
“He’s a whole new level of motivation for me. I can’t wait to do what I do best: entertain, put on a show, and deliver an exciting fight. Puerto Ricans are known for their heart, pride, and aggression, and those qualities are in my fundamentals. I think they’re going to love the Blonde Bomber.”

Earlier this year, Bridges joined the MVP revolution, and with Jake Paul making a serious financial investment in women’s boxing, there is little doubt her new promotional home is the place to be. Bridges had problems getting the fights her ambitions desired during her run as the IBF bantamweight champion of the world. That is unlikely to be the case now.

Old rival Shannon Courtenay is also an MVP fighter. A rematch of their titanic 2021 fight would seem an obvious fight to make. But another run as a world champion can’t be ruled out. Bridges will see that period of her career in 2023 as unfinished business.

Ebanie Bridges has always been somewhat underrated as a fighter. The 39-year-old has never really been given the credit that she deserves. Other aspects of her life masked her skills inside a boxing ring. Bridges seems in the mood to send a few little reminders to her critics.