Ebanie Bridges successfully defended her title with a stoppage win over Shannon O'Connell in a thrilling showdown.
Australian star Bridges put her IBF bantamweight title on the line against O'Connell in the First Direct Arena in Leeds, in a bid to continue her winning run.
Bridges dropped her opponent in the third round with a thunderous right hand, and the Australian closed the show in the eight round as the referee stepped in. It is now a ninth win for Bridges who continues her momentum at bantamweight.
The fight began at a ferocious pace with both Bridges and O'Connell looking to step on the gas from the opening bell. Bridges was caught in the early round with a huge right hook which left the Australian wobbled from a stiff counter punch.
O'Connell continued battering away with the right hook at the start of the second, and the pair continued to trade with heavy blows as Bridges looked to regained composure. She started with a relentless attack to head and body before the bell sounded with clearly no loved-loss between the pair.
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Then at the start of the third round, Bridges lands a thundering right hook which sent O'Connell to the canvas but she beat the count. A brutal trade continued as she rose to her feet and bravely battled back but the challenger looked wounded. She went to the floor again in the fourth but the referee judged it to be a slip as Bridges piled on the pressure.
Bridges unleashed another barrage in the seventh round and O'Connell was struggling immensely with a gruesome right eye injury impairing her vision. She battered away in the eight continuing the onslaught before the referee stepped in and halted the show with O'Connell unable to fight back.
Bridges has now set up a whole host of potential big unification clashes in 2023 including against champion Dina Thorslund who has been pushing for the clash for several months. It will likely be a busy next year for Bridges who could even elect to return to fighting in Australia with promotion Matchroom Boxing pushing their schedule down under.
