Ebanie Bridges has sparked outrage online after the Aussie boxer’s extremely risque outfit for her latest weigh-in.
Bridges will defend her IBF bantamweight world title against Japanese fighter Miyo Yoshida on Sunday Australian time.
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The 37-year-old Bridges is appearing on the undercard of the WBC super lightweight title fight between Devin Haney and Regis Prograis at the Chase Center, home of NBA giants Golden State.
Bridges vs Yoshida is the fourth fight scheduled on the seven-fight card.
The Australian was originally fighting compatriot Avril Mathie in what had been dubbed the “Battle of the Boobs” before Mathie pulled out with an undisclosed injury and Yoshida took the fight at short notice.
Bridges, an ex-bodybuilder, has become well known for her outfits during weigh-ins, telling The Sun in 2022 it’s not about selling fights but rather just being herself.
“For me, wearing a nice matching lingerie set is just like wearing a bikini,” Bridges said after beating Maria Cecilia Roman for the IBF title in March last year.
“I am standing there owning what I look like and showing off my body that I’ve worked so hard to get.
“I want to be myself and go and enjoy that one moment.
“A weigh-in for me is like a bodybuilding competition. I do my hair and make-up, wear a cute little G-string, and smile for the cameras.
“It has absolutely nothing to do with, ‘Oh, this is going to sell (fights)’. Thankfully it does. What I like to do sells. How I like to fight sells. But it’s just me being me and doing what I want to do.”
On Saturday, the Sydneysider entered the stage wearing a pink jacket, which she removed to unveil a matching lingerie set.
The crowd reacted with cheers and hollers along with a few wolf whistles.
“Everyone gets dressed except Bridges,” a commentator stated when the fighters had the traditional face-off.
The display drew a very mixed reaction, but there was one common word noted by many who felt her outfit had gone too far for boxing.
“Is this porn hub,” was one reply to an Instagram story from fight promoter Matchroom Boxing.
“This is boxing not porn wtf is this,” replied another.
“They are going to fight or make a film???” questioned another.
“She’s a fighter??? Looks more like a porn star,” added a fourth.
While Bridges has insisted she doesn’t dress like this to promote her fights, that’s exactly what one comment zeroed in on.
“I do not know why the promoter allows her to dress like this,” they wrote. “It kind of takes me back to WWE back in the day. I wish she could’ve been a little bit more professional.
“She’s a great boxer, but she shouldn’t use her body to sell her fight.”
Other viewers felt it was a sad sign for women’s boxing.
“It’s sad she has to stand there in her underwear to promote the fight,” they wrote.
Another even felt Bridges’ performance was an insult to Katie Taylor, the Irishwoman who claimed the first ever women’s boxing gold medal at the 2012 Olympics and has won multiple world titles.
“She’s a disgrace,” they wrote. “Totally takes away from what Katie has done for women’s boxing.”
Naturally, there was also some support for Bridges.
“Ebanie Bridges is beautiful, you wait until she lands those (bombs),” wrote one fan.
“She’s raising the profile of women’s boxing to a new audience! If you don’t like it scroll on by! We really don’t mind,” wrote another.
“The girl can fight and that’s what this is about,” added a third.
The seven-fight event gets underway from midday Sunday on DAZN.