Ebanie Bridges is one of the rare female boxers who is capable of straddling the line between attractive model and respected boxer.
Bridges often dons provocative attire for her weigh ins which prompted her last challenger to try and brand her as a “skanky stripper”.
O’Connell is not a fan of Ebanie’s provocative style:
“Ebanie has taken it beyond boxing by getting personal,” O’Connell said. “I’ll break her down and make her quit. I think she think she talks too much, she forgets what she says so she contradicts herself every time she opens her mouth. I don’t like her.”
“The rivalry probably came from me not liking the way Ebanie conducts herself. I’ve got a 15-year-old daughter and if I was doing the things Ebanie is doing it would be basically telling my 15-year-old daughter, ‘get your clothes off and you can basically get what you want in life’.
“That’s not what I’m about. Guy or girl it doesn’t matter who you are and what you’ve done – work hard for what you want. She knows what she’s doing getting on those scales’ half naked in her lingerie.”
But none of that moral highroad helped O’Connell during their boxing bout.
AND STILL 👊@EbanieBridges 👑 @DAZNBoxing #BridgesOConnell #WarringtonLopez pic.twitter.com/9wJBrdLloH
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) December 10, 2022
Bridges successfully defended her her IBF bantamweight title against Shannon O’Connell at the First Direct Arena in Leeds last night.
Bridges crushed her opponent in the squared circle securing an eight round stoppage victory.
Following the victory, Bridges was complementary of her rival’s performance but refused to forget about what was said in the lead up to the clash.
She shouted in her post-fight interview:
“You know what not bad for a skanky stripper. I like tough fights and I am a world champion. She came to fight but I am better, I am not usually disrespectful but she was so horrible.”
“Not that badly hurt, I came back and this is boxing we are going to hit hard. I got the win so I am very satisfied. I hope Australia is proud and you know who is the queen of Australian boxing.
“This was the night I wanted. Winning a world title is easy and keeping it is the hard part. I haven’t fought for nine months. Thank you guys and to everyone has supported me. Team skanky stripper forever.”