Ebanie Bridges LAUGHS in the face of Shannon O’Connell during intense face-off

Shannon O’Connell has refused to back down in her war of words with Ebanie Bridges, but the Blonde Bomber simply laughed in the face of her arch rival. 

Bridges, 36, has enjoyed a meteoric rise since relocating to the UK, gaining a large amount of fans after wearing bikinis and thongs during pre-fight weigh ins. 

O’Connell, 39, previously referred to her fellow Australian as a ‘skanky stripper’ and when the pair met ahead of their IBF bantamweight title bout in Leeds on Thursday, she attempted to ramp up the mind games. 

Scroll down for the fighters’ full interaction. 

Ebanie Bridges laughed in Shannon O’Connell’s face when they faced off on Thursday

However, they had absolutely no impact on the world champion, who mockingly laughed in her rival’s face. 

EB: ‘Nice black eye’.

SOC: ‘Sparring that you didn’t want’.

EB: ‘Yeah…’

SOC: ‘Scared?’

EB: ‘Nah. Definitely not.’

SOC: ‘Oh what? She said something mean about you?’

EB: (Sarcastically) ‘Yeah.’

SOC: ‘You’re f***ed now, b***h.’

O’Connell’s attempt at mind games was laughed off by the IBF bantamweight world champion

Bridges then proceeded to burst into laughter, seemingly unmoved by O’Connell’s intimidation tactics.  

The pair went face-to-face shortly after the pre-fight press conference, whereby O’Connell insisted she would not attempt to copy Bridges’s promotional tactics if she had the opportunity. 

‘I’m really happy that we are finally here, it’s been a long time coming,’ O’Connell said. ‘[There’s been] a lot of dodging and trying to get around the fight but we’re here now and there’s no hiding.’

When asked by promoter Eddie Hearn whether there was real meaning behind some of her digs aimed at Bridges, she said: ‘I don’t have a fake bone in my body. Everything I’ve said, I’ve meant.’

The Matchroom chief then asked whether she would choose not to emulate her rival and wear eye-catching garments on the scales, O’Connell said: ‘Absolutely, I’ve got morals.’

The 39-year-old said she would never copy her fellow Australian because she has ‘morals’

Defending champion Bridges said she was unfazed by O’Connell’s intimidation tactics

Remarkably, the pair have never met prior to fight week in Yorkshire, despite their bitter rivalry, but O’Connell doesn’t believe that is unusual. 

‘Do you like everyone you see on TV? You don’t have to like everyone that you’ve met.

‘She’s making herself a public figure and she’s putting herself out there to be judged. That’s just what happens.’

As far as Bridges is concerned, she is purely focused on the task at hand on Saturday night local time. 

‘I was brought up with “sticks and stones can break your bones but words can never hurt you”. Obviously she can say whatever she wants,’ she said. 

‘It’s boring, I’ve been hearing it for years. It just bores me, to be honest. All that matters is in the ring on Saturday night and she will find out how seriously I take the sport, how hard I hit and how much I deserve this world title. 

‘Shannon is one of my hardest fights, I am not underestimating her at all. I know how much she wants it. I am very confident in my skills, my mind and what I can do. 

‘I know that belt is going to stay with me and it is my destiny. I have faith in myself and my team and I just know that I am going to win.’