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Ebanie Bridges Knocks Down And Stops Shannon O’Connell In Thriller

Written by Kerr Ferguson on 10th December 2022.

Ebanie Bridges and Shannon O'Connell

Ebanie Bridges logged an impressive performance to keep her IBF belt against fellow Aussie and former champion, Shannon O’Connell.

The challenger came into the ring the much more experienced fighter, having over triple the professional contests Bridges has. Despite both being from down under, it was staged in Bridges’ home away from home – Leeds.

All of the bad blood and insults between the two led up to a fight that didn’t disappoint. The Australian grudge match was a fire fight with both women wobbled – albeit to different levels.

Bridges, who’s IBF World Bantamweight title was on the line, dropped O’Connell in the third with a hard right hand.

The challenger came out in the fourth still carrying the damage. She was hurt again in the final minute of that round, but managed to keep playing her part in the back and forth right through until eight when the referee stopped the action.

A brutal flurry from Bridges to an unguarded O’Connell chin after she had beaten the heart out of her over the rounds marked the end of the fight – giving the ever-improving champion a TKO win in yet another great advert for the female side of the sport.

Bridges is a polarising figure in the sport – something O’Connell used against her in the build up – but in the ring, she delivers and doesn’t shy away from taking one to land one.

In a section of the sport that’s growing quickly and must keep that pace to gain the credit it deserves, ‘The Blonde Bomber’ has a big part to play.