Aussie boxing champ Ebanie Bridges lifts the lid on relationship with Conor McGregor
The boxing world champ has dropped a retirement hint as she ramps up her business relationship with the Irish megastar.
Aussie champion boxer Ebanie Bridges has revealed she is setting up for her future after boxing with the assistance of Irish MMA star Conor McGregor. Bridges will return from an injury layoff on Sunday where she will look to defend her bantamweight title against Miyo Yoshida.
The former Sydney maths teacher was set to face Avril Mathie in what she dubbed the 'Battle of the Boobs' but her Aussie rival pulled out and Yoshida stepped in on short notice. Bridges is sponsored by McGregor’s Forged Irish Stout but the Aussie champion says the pair's partnership is much deeper than simply transactional.
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"I'm a face for Forged Stout now. I can learn a lot from him as well for when I finish boxing – and what he’s doing in business, I think is really inspiring," she told the Lucky Block. The 37-year-old is confident that her relationship with McGregor will set her up for life after boxing.
"He's smart getting into boxing because if you think about it, there's fights nearly every weekend. He's sponsoring the shows and he sponsors a lot of other boxers," she said. Bridges has long been pictured by McGregor's side, attending fights with the UFC star often in skimpy promotional attire.
Bridges believes she can follow in McGregor's footsteps and move into the world of business after her boxing career ends. The Aussie boxer also says she instantly clicked with the Irish superstar. "It was natural and we'll be working together for the remainder of my career ... we get on really well," she said.
Bridges last fought in December 2022 when she defeated Aussie rival Shannon O'Connell in eight rounds. She has since been out of action as she recovers from a hand injury.
Bridges is keen to see Conor McGregor return to his best
The Aussie boxer says she is unaware of the timeframe for McGregor's highly anticipated UFC return but says he has been in the gym grinding. "I don't know who (McGregor's next opponent) will be, but I know he's training," she said.
"I've seen clips of him training and he's busy in the gym. I don't know if he puts it on his socials. I don't really look at his social pages, but I've seen some of his training stuff that he's done."
McGregor has been out of action since July 2021 where he suffered a horrific leg break against Dustin Poirier in the first round. Many expect he will return next year against Michael Chandler after the pair starred on the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter, although this has not yet been confirmed by the UFC.
The former two-division champion claimed he will return to the Octagon in April following a three-year hiatus for the landmark UFC 300 event. However, his long-time coach John Kavanagh has said he likely won't return until the second half of next year.
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