Christy Renea Martin (; born June 12, 1968) is an American former professional boxer. Competing from 1989 to 2012, she held the
WBC
WBC may stand for:
Business
*Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, a former large India broadcaster now folded into CBS
*Westpac (New Delhi Exchange code: WBC), a multinational Financial services company
*Wholesale Broadband Connect, BT Wholesale's ...
female super welterweight title in 2009. In 2010, Martin was stabbed and shot by her husband. He was subsequently found guilty of attempted second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Martin was the first female boxer elected to the
Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame (abbreviated NVBHOF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in June 2012 by American sports broadcaster Rich Marotta. The company honors boxers and those in the industry who have significantly contributed to ...
in 2016, and was also elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020, which was the first year that women were on the ballot.
Early life
Martin was born Christy Renea Salters on June 12, 1968 in Mullens, West Virginia.Outstanding Women Athletes: Who they are and how they influenced sports, Janet Woolu /ref> and attended Mullens High School.
She played various sports as a child including
Little League baseball
Little League Baseball and Softball (officially, Little League Baseball Inc) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizationConcord College in
Athens, West Virginia
Athens is a town in Mercer County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 944 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bluefield, WV- VA micropolitan area which has a population of 107,578. Athens is the home of Concord University.
Hist ...
on a basketball scholarship and earned a B.S. in education.
Career
Martin is said to be “the most successful and prominent female boxer in the United States” and the person who “legitimized” women’s participation in the sport of boxing. She began her career fighting in “Toughwoman” contests and won three consecutive titles. She then began training with boxing coach, Jim Martin, who became her husband in 1991.
Martin started her professional boxing career at the age of 21 with a six-round draw with Angela Buchanan in 1989. She had her first training under the direction of Charlie Sensabaugh of Daniels West Virginia. Martin won a rematch with Buchanan one month later with a second round
knockout
A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
.
Andrea DeShong
Andrea DeShong (born March 16, 1962) is a former United States female boxer who is best remembered for defeating Christy Martin in Martin's fourth professional bout.
Professional career
DeShong made her professional debut on March 11, 1989 ...
then beat Martin in a five-round decision. Martin then had nineteen consecutive wins, including two against
Jamie Whitcomb
Jamie is a unisex name. It is a diminutive form of James or, more rarely, other names. It is also given as a name in its own right.
People Female
* Jamie Anne Allman (born 1977), American actress
* Jamie Babbit (born 1970), American film and t ...
and
Suzanne Riccio-Major
Suzanne Riccio-Major (born October 16, 1963), also known as Suzanne Riccio, is a former female boxer who fought two times for world titles. She also competed against many of women's boxing top fighters.
Riccio-Major was born in Pittsfield, M ...
as well a rubber match win against Buchanan. On October 15, 1993, Martin defeated
Beverly Szymansky Beverly or Beverley may refer to:
Places Australia
*Beverley, South Australia, a suburb of Adelaide
*Beverley, Western Australia, a town
*Shire of Beverley, Western Australia
Canada
*Beverly, Alberta, a town that amalgamated with the City of Ed ...
. Martin won by knocking out Szymansky in three rounds. In her first title defense, she fought to a draw against debutante Laura Serrano in Las Vegas.
Martin defended her title six more times, including a rematch with Szymansky, a fourth fight with Buchanan and defenses versus
Melinda Robinson
Melinda is a feminine given name.
Etymology
The modern name ''Melinda'' is a combination of "Mel" with the suffix "-inda". "Mel" can be derived from names such as Melanie meaning "dark, black" in Greek, or from Melissa (μέλισσα) meaning ...
and
Sue Chase
Sue or SUE may refer to:
Music
* Sue Records, an American record label
* ''Sue'' (album), an album by Frazier Chorus
* "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)", a song by David Bowie
Places
* Sue Islet (Queensland), one of the Torres Straits island ...
Deirdre Gogarty
Deirdre Gogarty (born 10 November 1969) is a retired Irish female boxer and current coach of the Ragin' Cajun Boxing Club who hails from Drogheda, Ireland.
She attended Drogheda Grammar School. Due to legal issues regarding women's boxing in I ...
fought what many consider a great fight, in front of Showtime cameras. Martin got the decision, and after that bout, she began to gain more celebrity, even appearing on the cover of '' Sports Illustrated'' once shortly afterwards. (Specifically, on April 15, 1996, Martin became the first female boxer to appear on the cover of ''Sports Illustrated''; the headline read, "The Lady Is a Champ".)
Martin made a special guest appearance on the television show ''
Roseanne
''Roseanne'' is an American sitcom television series created by Matt Williams and Roseanne Barr which aired on ABC from October 18, 1988, to May 20, 1997, and briefly revived from March 27, 2018, to May 22, 2018. The show stars Barr as Roseann ...
'' in season 9, episode 6, "Pampered to a Pulp".
Martin won her next eight bouts including wins against Robinson, DeShong, Marcela Acuña and Isra Girgrah. Martin lost her title in a 10-round decision loss to Sumya Anani in 1998. Martin then won her next nine fights including wins against Belinda Laracuente, Sabrina Hall and
Kathy Collins
Kathy is a feminine given name. It is a pet form of Katherine, Kathleen (given name), Kathleen and their related forms. Kathy may refer to:
In sports
*Kathy Bald, Canadian freestyle swimmer
*Kathy May, American tennis player
*Kathy Radzuweit, Ger ...
. Martin won her next two fights by ten-round decisions against
Lisa Holeywine Lisa or LISA may refer to:
People
People with the mononym
* Lisa Lisa (born 1967), American actress and lead singer of the Cult Jam
* Lisa (Japanese musician, born 1974), stylized "LISA", Japanese singer and producer
* Lisa Komine (born 1978), ...
and Mia St. John.
In 2003 Martin fought Laila Ali and lost by a knockout in the fourth round.
Martin's next fight in 2005 was a second-round knockout against
Lana Alexander
Lana may refer to:
*Lana (given name)
*Francesco Lana de Terzi (1631–1687), Italian Jesuit priest and scientist
*Lana (wrestler), professional wrestler and pro wrestling manager
*'' Wild Energy. Lana'', a 2006 Ukrainian fantasy novel
Sciences
* ...
in Lula, Mississippi.
In 2005 a fight with Lucia Rijker, titled "Million Dollar Lady", was canceled because Rijker ruptured her Achilles during training.
On September 16, 2005, in
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
, Martin lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Holly Holm. Martin was beaten by the 23-year-old southpaw, with all three judges scoring for Holm.
Martin holds a record of 49 wins, 7 losses and 3 draws with 31 wins by knockout. She is a frequent visitor of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame annual induction ceremonies, and an avid autograph signer. She has fought on the undercard of boxers
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is cons ...
,
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2011. He reigned as the undisputed champion at cruiserweight in the late 1980s and at heavyweight in the early 1990s, and is the on ...
,
Félix Trinidad
Félix Juan Trinidad García (born January 10, 1973), popularly known as "Tito" Trinidad, is a Puerto Rican former professional boxer who competed from 1990 to 2008. He held multiple world championships in three weight classes and is said to b ...
and
Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez González (; born July 12, 1962), also known as Julio César Chávez Sr., is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1980 to 2005. A multiple-time world champion in three weight divisions, Chávez was liste ...
.
Martin was promoted by Don King, and was the first woman to sign with him. He signed Martin in October 1993 following her third-round knockout win against
Beverly Szymanski Beverly or Beverley may refer to:
Places Australia
*Beverley, South Australia, a suburb of Adelaide
*Beverley, Western Australia, a town
* Shire of Beverley, Western Australia
Canada
*Beverly, Alberta, a town that amalgamated with the City of E ...
.
Martin was nicknamed ''The Coal Miner's Daughter'' in reference to her father's occupation.
Martin announced on January 19, 2011, that she would be fighting again in hopes of her 50th career win on the undercard of the Ricardo Mayorga vs Miguel Cotto Fight at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 12, 2011, against Dakota Stone in a rematch of their 2009 Fight. The fight was postponed due to a rib injury to Martin. The rescheduled rematch took place June 4, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles on the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs Sebastian Zbik undercard. Dakota Stone prevailed by TKO with :51 left as Martin broke her right hand in 9 places on a punch in the 4th round and could not continue.
In 2016, she became the first female boxer inducted into the
Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame (abbreviated NVBHOF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in June 2012 by American sports broadcaster Rich Marotta. The company honors boxers and those in the industry who have significantly contributed to ...
. That same year, ''Sports Illustrated'' reported that she was working 2 jobs, as a substitute teacher and helping military veterans find work, and that she was dealing with the after effects of her career, including dealing with lack of stamina and double vision. In 2020 she was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame; she was elected to it in 2019, the first year that women were on the ballot.
Professional boxing record
Attempted murder
On November 23, 2010, Christy Martin was stabbed several times and shot at least once in her torso and left for dead by her husband, 66-year-old James V. Martin. The attack reportedly occurred after an argument in their Apopka home. She survived the attack. On November 30, James Martin was arrested and taken to
Orlando Regional Medical Center
Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) is an 808-bed tertiary hospital in downtown Orlando, Florida designed by HKS, Inc. (architect) and Walter P Moore (structural engineer). It is the flagship of the Orlando Health system.
Background
ORMC is als ...
after he stabbed himself. He was booked in Orange County Jail and charged with attempted first degree murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
In April, 2012, James Martin was found guilty of attempted second-degree murder.
He was sentenced two months later to 25 years in prison. He is currently serving his sentence at
Graceville Correctional Facility
The Graceville Correctional Facility is a private state prison for men located in Graceville, Jackson County, Florida, which has been operated since 2007 by CCA, GEO, and MTC under contract with the Florida Department of Corrections
The Fl ...
Lisa Holewyne Lisa or LISA may refer to:
People
People with the mononym
* Lisa Lisa (born 1967), American actress and lead singer of the Cult Jam
* Lisa (Japanese musician, born 1974), stylized "LISA", Japanese singer and producer
* Lisa Komine (born 1978), ...
on November 25, 2017. Martin is the CEO of Christy Martin Promotions, a boxing promotion company that has promoted many events in North Carolina since 2016 and will be promoting boxing events in Jacksonville, Florida and in other Southern United States cities.
Legacy
In 2021, Netflix released '' Untold: Deal with the Devil'', a documentary chronicling Martin’s career and personal life.