There was no love lost at either the press conference or weigh-in and the fight reflected that animosity. For eight rounds, Ebanie Bridges and Shannon O’Connell went toe-to-toe as they competed for the IBF Bantamweight Championship. Bridges caught a clean short early in the bout, but her work to the body throughout the bout proved to be too much for O’Connell to handle. As DAZN broadcasters Tony Bellew and Ade Oladipo said after the fight, Bridges makes up for her lack of escapability in the ring with grit, toughness and power. Ultimately, her ability to put pressure on the challenger was enough for Bridges to earn an eighth-round stoppage and retain the IBF Bantamweight Championship.
“I’ve got the win and I’m very satisfied with that win. I hope that Australia is proud of me now and I hope you all know who the queen of Australian boxing is now,” she said after the bout.
Having captured one of the “most satisfying wins of her career,” Bridges can move on to even bigger fights in the future. Her promoter, Eddie Hearn, has expressed a desire for Bridges to pursue unification bouts with fellow champions in the division.
“She’s so tough. She’s got such a great engine. She can punch and she deserves the credit now,” Hearn said after the bout.
“You can take away the sacrifice [and] the work she’s put in.”
AND STILL ?@EbanieBridges gets the win with the referee waving the fight off after a brutal combination ?#WarringtonLopez pic.twitter.com/fzNomXjZEE
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) December 10, 2022
