Aussie boxing champ Ebanie Bridges hits out after Conor McGregor backlash

Australian boxer Ebanie Bridges has responded to a public backlash by doubling down and releasing more photos of her controversial act.

Ebanie Bridges and Conor McGregor

Australian boxer Ebanie Bridges has hit out at the public backlash directed her way over the controversial stunt she pulled with Conor McGregor.

The Aussie world champion and former UFC star stole the show at the Anthony Joshua fight over the weekend and raised eyebrows with their dramatic arrival to the stadium.

Bridges and the former two-division UFC champ turned heads back in May when they were photographed together ringside at the Katie Taylor-Chantelle Cameron title fight in Dublin.

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Their latest headline-grabbing moment, however, has been met with angry comments by some social media users over a shameless attempt to promote McGregor’s liquor company.

Bridges has now revealed she received ugly messages from trolls, but has doubled down on her controversial act by posting more photos from the weekend’s stunt.

Ebanie Bridges doubled down by posting new photos of the stunt. Photo: Twitter, Ebanie Bridges, Matchroom Boxing and Forged Stout.

“Shoutout to everyone talking about me and @TheNotoriousMMA & @ForgedStout,” she wrote on Twitter and Instagram.

“Especially the haters cos u guys r talking the loudest. Appreciate u promoting us & the @ForgedStout. Absolute legends.”

Bridges at the same time also made a public show of support for Boxing TV host Michelle Joy Phelps, who also features on an adult-content website.

💯💯💯💯😮‍💨😮‍💨 https://t.co/kaKcAZdwkk

— Blonde Bomber 🥊💁🏼‍♀️ (@EbanieBridges) August 14, 2023

Their appearance of Bridges and McGregor together has got tongues wagging again after Bridges stated she felt like McGregor had “manhandled her" in their original viral photo earlier this year.

The Australian however upped things days later when she admitted she would have sex with McGregor if push came to shove.

Social media sleuths then raised their eyebrows through the roof on Sunday when Bridges arrived with McGregor to Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight fight.

Bridges stepped out of the large van behind two scantily clad women, with the Aussie rocking underwear and a split open crop top.

The two champs have raised eyebrows.

They were getting up close and personal … again.

Joshua unleashed a huge right hand to defeat Finland’s Robert Helenius via knockout in London and set his sights on a return to the top of the heavyweight division.

The British boxing megastar was due to fight Dillian Whyte for the second time but that bout was scrapped after White produced “adverse analytical findings”, according to a doping test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA).

Helenius (32-4) stepped in the at the last minute, but was a class below Joshua having been knocked out in the first round by Deontay Wilder in October.

𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗥 𝗠𝗰𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗢𝗥 𝗣𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗦 𝗨𝗣 𝗜𝗡 𝗦𝗧𝗬𝗟𝗘! 😎@TheNotoriousMMA 𝘼𝙍𝙍𝙄𝙑𝙀𝙎 at #JoshuaHelenius 🥊 pic.twitter.com/d5Dzgn9Xgv

— IFL TV (@IFLTV) August 12, 2023

Joshua, 33, eased his way into the fight against 39-year-old Helenius and looked content to get rounds under his belt in a fairly lacklustre start to the bout.

But 1 minute and 27 seconds into the seventh round, Joshua hit Helenius with a brutal right hand that knocked him out cold and sent the Finnish fight onto the ropes and falling to the canvas.

The DAZN commentator called the punch “a quite stunning, highlight reel knockout”.

“My back hurts because I’m carrying this heavyweight division to the top,” former heavyweight world champion Joshua joked in the ring after the fight.

Promoter Eddie Hearn said there is a “three-fight plan” for Joshua that will ideally see him take on Dillian Whyte, Wilder and Tyson Fury.

“I need to keep building and building because I’ve been off for too long,” Joshua said.

He takes his record to 26-3 and as he continues his quest to return to the top of the heavyweight division after two losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022.