Shannon Courtenay dismisses “idiot” Ebanie Bridges to pursue world title rematch

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Courtenay won her world bantamweight championship in a classic fight with Bridges, but lost it in her first defence against Mitchell and is now pushing for another shot at the belt

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Shannon Courtenay talks Jamie Mitchell and Ebanie Bridges

Shannon Courtenay isn’t concerning herself with a possible title fight against Ebanie Bridges, instead opting to push for a rematch with American Jamie Mitchell.

Courtenay and Bridges had a heated rivalry leading up to their fight last April, with the Brit taking the decision victory to become world bantamweight champion.

The pair had differing views on how they felt it appropriate to promote the fight, with Courtenay wanting to keep eyes on the boxing contest, while Bridges was concerned with issues like their weigh-in outfits.

But after losing the belt in her first defence against Mitchell, Courtenay has focused all of her attention on not just dethroning, but stopping the unbeaten California native.

“The only thing I’m thinking about, that I’m focused on, is Mitchell,” Courtenay told Mirror Fighting at a press conference for Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano in London.

“The other names can wait, the only fight I care about right now is getting my world title back.

“I think I’ll stop her, I really do. Last time she was tough to live with and you have to give it to her, she’s got a cracking chin but I had her hurt a good few times.

“I just couldn’t follow up with the second phase of attack because I had no leg so I couldn’t do what I wanted to do against her with two working legs.

“Next time out that will help and I think I’ll stop her.”

And despite some great wars of words with her rivals such as Mitchell, Bridges and Rachel Ball, the Watford fighter insists that she has no ill-feeling towards any of her opponents.

She argues that they are all just competitors in athletic contests, although she does admit that the outspoken Australian Bridges is “a bit of an idiot”.

“They’re just people that I fight,” Courtenay stressed. “I don’t ever harbour any emotion or anger towards any of these women.

Who do you back in a rematch; Shannon Courtenay or Ebanie Bridges? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

“They obviously do to me, that’s fine – I thought [Bridges] was a bit of an idiot but we were just there to put on a great fight, and we put on a great fight.

“I’ve said it a hundred times, I didn’t like the way she tried to sell the fight, but it attracted massive numbers so fair play to her for that.”

Bridges has gone on to add a stoppage win over Bec Connolly and a Mailys Gangloff decision to her CV, but is eager to get another shot at Courtenay.

She’ll get a shot at a world title in Leeds next month against veteran Maria Cecilia Roman, but even that may not be enough to drag Courtenay into another fight right away.

They both operate closely with Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, but Courtenay believes Bridges is more focused on it than she is.

“After the fight she’s still to this day talking about my name,” Courtenay explained. “Let her do her thing.

“Everybody who actually knows me knows none of these people annoy me, nothing gets under my skin.

“I’m the most chilled out person, nothing gets to me so look, it is what it is!”