BOXING bantamweight title challenger Shannon O’Connell has hit out at Ebanie Bridges, claiming the reigning champion takes her clothes off “to be seen”.
The Australian pair were involved in a bitter war of words ahead of their December 10 showdown in Leeds.
Bridges, 36, captured the IBF bantamweight title in March this year after beating Maria Cecilia Roman.
She is a huge Leeds United fan and is returning to the First Direct Arena in the city next month for the first defence of her belt.
Bridges will take on O’Connell, 39, who hit out at her fellow Aussie for the way she has “gone about” building her career.
In a heated online press conference with Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn, O’Connell blasted: “I don’t like the way Ebanie has gone about things.
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“We never got recognised and there was no respect in the sport for women.
“And I believe that people like Katie Taylor… everyone has worked so hard to gain that respect and then doing things the way Ebanie has done them has brought them back down.”
Ebanie then interrupted: “You’re saying I haven’t had it the hard way because I’m just a little bit different.”
O’Connell then hit back bluntly: “Well because you get your clothes off to be seen.”
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Bridges is a former ring girl and has experience a meteoric rise to boxing world champion.
She has built a huge presence on social media, boasting over 500,000 followers on Instagram.
And she declared to O’Connell: “If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t be on this platform, you wouldn’t be seen globally, you wouldn’t be getting the biggest payday of your career.
“So you can say I’ve disrespected the sport but, I’m pretty sure because of me, you’re here and you’re going to make good money and get people to actually know who you are.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
