Boxing champ Ebanie Bridges reveals why she does NOT want women to be equal with men in the ring – unless the sport makes one big change

Australian IBF bantamweight champion Abani Bridges is willing to fight three-minute rounds like male fighters do, but won’t step up unless she gets paid for extra time in the ring.

Amanda Serrano, the undisputed women’s champion, previously relinquished her title due to the WBC’s decision not to allow female boxers to compete in three-minute rounds and 12-round championship bouts.

Typically, women’s championship matches last a maximum of 10 rounds, with each round lasting two minutes.

Serrano, 35, is leading a campaign for the right to compete under the same rules as men.

“The WBC has refused to develop the sport for the sake of equality. Therefore, I refuse their title,” she wrote.

“Thank you to the sanctioning bodies who took a stand for equality!”

Bridges doesn’t want to fight in three-minute rounds like men do until she gets paid for extra ring time.

The Blonde Bomber will face former bantamweight champion Miyo Yoshida on Sunday.

Bridges, who will fight former bantamweight champion Miyo Yoshida this Sunday on the Regis Prograis-Devin Haney (AEDT) undercard, told SecondsOut.com that any move to longer rounds would have to include a pay raise not only for her, but but also for other players. all female boxers.

“Pay me more and I’ll fight in threes (minutes). When you get paid a million dollars to fight, you fight whatever you want, you know what I mean?” She said.

“A lot of girls, besides me, get paid about 10 thousand for world title fights. Why should we put ourselves at additional risk if we are not making that money?

“But I wish that if the three of us all practiced, we could do it. Amanda Serrano proved that we can do it, women can do it, but I think it takes money. It’s all good for Amanda and the girls up there doing it.”

Meanwhile, Bridges expressed frustration with her opponent’s defensive issues after finally finishing her fight with Miyo Yoshida.

Yoshida will replace Avril Mathie, the bantamweight contender who was forced to withdraw due to an undisclosed injury.

Amanda Serrano leads campaign to pay female boxers for three-minute rounds

Bridges, a former maths teacher from Sydney, said boxing was unpredictable, especially when she was juggling her OnlyFans account and a sponsorship deal with a beer company owned by UFC superstar Conor McGregor.

“There were three changes of opponents in this fight, she is the fourth opponent. I asked the person who was number one on my list to say yes, and then I changed my mind,” Bridges said.

“Then we had another one who agreed but changed her mind a week later. Then there was another one who said yes, but then changed her mind. It got to the point where I said, “Why the hell am I doing this?” Seriously, I make so much money. I don’t fight for money.

– Absolutely not. Why would I go through this rollercoaster that is boxing, it’s a hell of a sport outside the ring than it is in the ring.

“The most interesting thing is in the ring. Outwardly he is more cruel. Then I reminded myself why I was doing this. I never started boxing for money.

“I started because I had goals. My goal was to become a world champion. Once that happened, my goal became to become undisputed.

“Obviously I want to make money, I deserve to be paid what I deserve, which is a lot. But at the same time, the goal is to be uncontroversial, and that’s what keeps me focused.”

Bridges has a sponsorship deal with Forged Stout, a brewing company owned by UFC superstar Conor McGregor.

Bridges is also a popular figure on OnlyFans and isn’t afraid to get naked at weigh-ins to promote his fights.

Bridges captured the IBF women’s bantamweight title in March 2022 with a unanimous decision victory over Maria Cecilia Roman.

Since then, the 37-year-old has successfully defended her title once, stopping early against Shannon O’Connell last December.

On the other hand, Miyo Yoshida, who has a record of 16 wins and four losses, has had a mixed performance in her recent fights, winning only two of her last five fights.

Her last match ended in a unanimous decision loss to Shurretta Metcalf in November.