Australian boxer Shannon O’Connell using Kostya Tszyu tactics ahead of Ebanie Bridges fight

Former Kostya Tszyu manager Glen Jennings has teamed up with Australian bantamweight Shannon O’Connell to set England on fire next month in what is the biggest women’s boxing match in history.

Jennings takes O’Connell (23-6-1) to England to take on compatriot Ebanie Bridges for the IBF women’s bantamweight belt.

The December 10 fight, which will be held on the Josh Warrington-Luis Alberto Lopez IBF featherweight title card in Leeds, has been called the biggest fight in Australian women’s boxing history.

But it will be waged on the other side of the world after Jennings admitted that Bridges’ Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn “knocked the paunch out of us” when bidding for the hosting rights.

Ebanie Bridges holds the Australian flag behind her back after beating French boxer Mailys Gangloff on points, 2021

Bridges (8-1), who has moved permanently to the UK, had a waiver to dodge mandatory challenger O’Connell for her first defense denied by the IBF.

Last week, she accused the 39-year-old Brisbane talent of not accepting her invitation to join the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.

Kostya Tszyu’s (31-2) approach was to let his gloves do the talking and Jennings says he’s drilled that into O’Connell since they teamed up about a year ago.

“She (Bridges) has tried twice to stop the battle for waivers and is now throwing mud all over PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs),” Jennings said.

‘But none of it sticks; it has fallen on deaf ears … she has to fight now and the truth is that the threat is now real, the energy is changing because we are only six weeks away.”

Tim Tszyu (L), Glen Jennings (C) and Kostya Tszyu (R) pose together in a team boxing shoot – Jennings led both Kostya and Tim during the beginning of their respective careers

According to Bridges, her main opponent has refused to sign with VADA due to ties to UKAD and ASADA (English and Australian anti-doping authorities).

Jennings says he doesn’t care about the online, boisterous style, where boxers mock each other on social media to produce a storm of reaction and interest from the public.

Instead, he says it’s the IBF and only who the two correspond to; Bridges is just an opponent in the ring.

O’Connell fires a right jab at Taylah Robertson during her Gold Coast win – it was the 39-year-old’s sixth straight win

‘Shotgun’ has fought for world titles in three different weight divisions, but lost each time, earning this shot after an impressive run of eight wins.

“It’s good for the girls to get the money, but it’s so sad that two Australian girls, although she (Bridges) now claims to be British, won’t be fighting here,” Jennings said.

“It’s a fight that belongs in Australia in prime time.”