Ebanie Bridges, the former IBF bantamweight champion, has inked a deal with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), significantly enhancing the company's expanding portfolio of female boxing talent. This move marks a pivotal moment for Bridges, who is looking to reassert her dominance in the sport after a period of personal growth and a professional setback. Her decision to join MVP underscores the promotion's rising influence in women's boxing, aligning her with an elite group of athletes and reinforcing the growing recognition and investment in female pugilists.
Ebanie Bridges' journey to boxing stardom is a remarkable one, originating from a career as a high school mathematics teacher in New South Wales, Australia. Driven by an unwavering ambition, she left her academic profession to pursue her dream of becoming a world boxing champion in the United Kingdom. This dream materialized in March 2022 when she secured the IBF belt by defeating Maria Roman. Her reign included a successful defense against Shannon O’Connell later that year, showcasing her prowess and determination in the ring. However, her championship run concluded in December 2023 with a points loss to Miyo Yoshida.
Recently, Bridges welcomed her first child in February, an experience that has undoubtedly reshaped her perspective. Despite this significant life event, her focus remains firmly on her boxing career, with plans for a comeback later this year. Her primary objective is to reclaim the bantamweight title, demonstrating her resilience and dedication to the sport. Bridges is not just a formidable athlete; her diverse background includes a master’s degree in mathematics and education, fluency in three languages, and expertise as a qualified mechanic and a black belt in karate, highlighting her multifaceted capabilities.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the new partnership, Bridges praised MVP's rapid impact on women's boxing. She emphasized her pride in joining a roster brimming with champions, past, present, and future. Her belief that MVP's comprehensive support, including promotion and innovative marketing, will significantly elevate both her career and women's boxing as a whole is a testament to the promotion's forward-thinking approach. She articulated a strong conviction that MVP's genuine investment in women's boxing for the right reasons would lead to unprecedented growth and recognition.
The addition of Bridges further strengthens MVP's already impressive roster of female fighters. She now stands alongside notable names such as unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano, undisputed junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner, former boxing and UFC champion Holly Holm, unified junior featherweight champion Ellie Scotney, and interim junior welterweight titlist Chantelle Cameron. This collection of talent solidifies MVP's position as a leading force in women's professional boxing.
Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, the co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions, lauded Ebanie Bridges as an exceptional talent. They highlighted her status as a world champion, her proven ability to attract audiences, and her compelling personality, which draws new fans to the sport. They particularly noted her current mission as a devoted mother aiming to regain her title, viewing it as another example of her boundary-breaking spirit both inside and outside the ring. The MVP founders expressed their excitement in welcoming another Australian talent to their family and eagerly anticipate guiding her career to even greater heights.
This strategic alliance is expected to bring heightened visibility and new opportunities for Ebanie Bridges as she embarks on the next chapter of her professional boxing journey. Her return to the ring, backed by MVP's extensive resources and promotional expertise, is eagerly awaited by fans and promises to be a significant event in the bantamweight division.