Ebanie Bridges settles grudge match against Shannon O’Connell in style as ref stops fight in eighth round
EBANIE BRIDGES won the brutal bantamweight battle of Down Under-wear.
Australia’s 36-year-old IBF champ defended her title against compatriot Shannon O’Connell and gave her challenger a real beating for her pre-fight verbals.
O’Connell, 39, labelled Bridges a “skanky stripper” over the racy barely-there lingerie she wears to weigh in, her new OnlyFans account and the fact she sells sweaty kit to kinky fans online.
But the Sydney star got her revenge but dropping her foe and smashing painful welts into her cheekbones until the savaging was stopped in round eight.
“Not bad for a skanky stripper,” Bridges joked.
“Credit to her she was tough and took a lot of shots.
“I was not that badly hurt early on so I came back and got the win and am really satisfied.
“I hope Australia is really proud and knows who the real queen of Australian boxing is now.
“It was the hardest fight of my career but also my best.”
Bridges was buzzed in the opener when a right hand caused her back leg to stiffen.
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
But the two-minute rounds meant O’Connell did not have the time to build on the shot.
The pair went at it hammer and tongs in the second, with O’Connell landing the better shots.
But with 20 seconds left Bridges thudded a hook into her opponent’s temple and stunned her.
The third had barely got started before O’Connell was on the canvas for a count of eight
Bridges teed her up with a jab and then rammed a right hand into her face and O’Connell down onto the seat of her pink shorts.
O’Connell was down again in the fourth but it was ruled a push as she struggled to keep up with Bridges’ pace.
Both brave women shunned their defensive duties in the fifth and threw haymakers around the ring.
Another stiff one-two from Bridges knocked the gumshield out of O’Connell’s mouth but she managed to catch it and stuff it back in, before clipping her way back into the round with a left hook.
Veteran O’Connell took a real beating in the seventh with both cheeks swelling and turning bright purple under the Leeds arena lights.
Concerned referee Howard Foster looked close to jumping in when Bridges poured on the pressure in the challenger’s red corner.
Round eight was more of the same, O’Connell was never off shaky legs and her chin was a magnet for right hands.
Finally O’Connor had seen enough and he dived in with O’Connell pinned on the ropes and taking an undignified pasting.