Former world champion Ebanie Bridges has welcomed the idea of a future showdown with fellow Australian and undisputed champion Cherneka Johnson as she gears up for her return to the ring this weekend.
Bridges, who has been sidelined for more than two years since becoming a mother, says a clash with Johnson is firmly on her radar as she plots a comeback and a path back to world-title contention.
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While her focus is firmly on Sunday’s clash with Alexis Arazia, Bridges made it clear she has bantamweight queen “Sugar Neekz” squarely in her sights.
“She’s got all the belts,” Bridges told Fox Sports Australia.
“You know, she’s also a good friend of mine also, and I’m super proud of what she’s done and achieved.
“She’s very deserving of it. She’s worked very hard, and I’ve loved seeing her success, but she’s got the bullseye on her back because she’s the undisputed champion.
“She’s holding all the belts, so obviously I’d like to fight to get the belts.”
Back in 2022, Bridges’ all-Australian showdown with bitter rival Shannon O’Connell was the year’s second most read story on the Fox Sports Australia website – behind only the tragic passing of Shane Warne.
Johnson boasts a similarly massive following, and Bridges believes a clash between the two would be even bigger.
“It’d be one of the biggest Aussie boxing fights, I think,” said the former Sydney school teacher.
“Obviously, the fight with me and Shannon O’Connell was the biggest for female boxing, but this would be bigger than that because Neekz is undisputed.
“Our weigh-ins combined would break the internet.”
Both Bridges and Johnson are represented by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, putting the two Aussie’s under the same banner as their profiles continue to rise on the world stage.
Paul, who has become a major powerbroker in women’s boxing through MVP, is currently sidelined after suffering a broken jaw in his recent loss to heavyweight superstar Anthony Joshua.
Bridges expects Paul to be ringside in San Juan, Puerto Rico this weekend for her bout with Arazia, alongside another familiar face in her corner — partner and British boxing icon Kell Brook.
“Kell’s been great [through camp],” Bridges said.
“He’s been helping me train. He’s been holding the pads. He’s always at my sparring. And he’s always giving me advice and support.
“I’m very lucky in that sense.”
Despite her confidence, Bridges admits there are nerves heading into her first fight in more than two years.
“I’d be lying if I wasn’t a little bit nervous,” she said.
“I’ve been out of the ring and I’m just hoping that I can shake off the ring-rust really fast and get in there and put on a great performance.”
Getting back to fight fitness hasn’t been easy.
“It was hard work, having such a long layoff,” Bridges said.
“Not just from the fighting, but just from training. My pregnancy was really hard throughout. I was really sick throughout, so just getting back into it was the hard part.
“Juggling motherhood and training is something very new for me and challenging. You know, lack of sleep and having to put someone else first all the time.”
As for what she expects from Arazia, Bridges is predicting fireworks.
“You know, she’s a tough, strong, come-forward fighter,” Bridges said.
“She’s aggressive. She’s a bit like me. We both like to come forward and fight. So I know that it’s going to be a very entertaining fight.
“I would like to say that I stop her. I think I could stop her in later rounds, but these Mexicans are tough. So let’s see what she can handle. But I’ll be going for the knockout.”
And if she gets her hand raised after 25 months away?
“There might be tears,” admitted Bridges.
“You’ll never see tears from me after a fight. I’m not that emotional. But, you know, I might actually cry because it’s been a long and hard road.”
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