Australian boxing world champion Ebanie Bridges has revealed that she received over $460k for joining OnlyFans, a social media platform for sharing exclusive content with subscribers.
Despite the platform’s reputation for adult content, Bridges insists that she does not post any adult content on OnlyFans, and instead shares everyday content that she would post on social media.
Bridges, who won the IBF bantamweight championship, launched her OnlyFans account in December 2020, just before her world title showdown with rival Shannon O’Connell.
She said that joining OnlyFans has been a lifesaver since she only receives two paydays from boxing per year.
Bridges is not the only athlete to join the platform, as a growing number of boxers, including Devin Haney, Derek Chisora, and Andy Ruiz, are now using it. Bridges believes that OnlyFans recognized her as a pioneer, and now many others are following suit.
‘I got paid over a quarter of a million pounds [$460,000] just to start it.’
The former Sydney math teacher said that while she is a boxer, she only competes twice a year, and her earnings from the sport are nothing compared to the men in the field. She added that she would be “dumb not to maximize what I can earn elsewhere.”
OnlyFans provides Bridges with an opportunity to earn money from “findom”, people who pay to be humiliated and insulted by her. Bridges says that she has some “freaks” who are willing to buy her dirty socks and bathwater. She also mentioned that some of her followers are paypigs, who are willing to pay her bills.
The Blonde Bomber, as Bridges is known, has received criticism for her persona outside the ring.
‘Where we’re at now in society, it’s all about social media, that’s how you promote and market,’ she said.
‘When it comes to sport, especially boxing where you’re not in a team, you’re by yourself, you’re your own business, your own brand. It’s important to use social media to build your brand, and it’s free.
‘So I’ve used it to build my brand and I’ve got to think about life after boxing. If I’ve got the celebrity-type status I’m going to continue to make money once I’ve retired from sport.’ – she told dailymail.
However, she says that she has no plans of slowing down and will continue being herself. For her, social media is an essential tool for building her brand and promoting herself. She believes that after she retires from boxing, her celebrity status will continue to earn her money.
Bridges is currently recovering from a hand injury that she sustained while beating Shannon O’Connell. It is unclear who she will take on next, but she recently suggested that a bout between herself and Aussie OnlyFans model Avril Mathie would “break the internet.”