Who Is Christy Martin? 5 Things to Know About the Former Pro Boxer

Christy Martin’s life story is getting the large display remedy within the film Christy, starring Sydney Sweeney.

Martin is a legendary boxer who paved the best way for girls within the sport. She earned the nickname “The Coal Miner’s Daughter” because of her father’s occupation. Whereas Martin is thought for her success within the ring, she has additionally suffered from tragic occasions, together with struggling together with her sexuality at a younger age and enduring abuse.

Christy nearly died in 2010 after her ex-husband and former coach, Jim Martin, whom she wed in 1991, tried to homicide her after she tried to go away him. Christy survived the assault and testified towards Jim. In 2012, Jim was discovered responsible of tried second-degree homicide and sentenced to 25 years in jail.

Maintain scrolling for what to learn about Christy forward of her biopic:

Christy Martin Put Girls’s Boxing on the Map

Christy began boxing professionally in 1989. Her breakout match was towards Angela Buchanan, the place they’d a six-round draw. Two years later, she began coaching with Jim.

In 1993, Christy made historical past as the primary lady to be signed by promoter Don King. King’s connections led to Christy with the ability to struggle on undercards of a few of the greatest stars in males’s boxing, together with Julio César Chávez vs. Frankie Randall and Mike Tyson vs. Frank Bruno.

Chrisy’s 1996 win towards Deirdre Gogarty skyrocketed her reputation and helped convey consideration to ladies’s boxing. She additionally went on to face off towards Sumya Anani, Laila Ali and extra. In 2009, Christy gained the WBC Tremendous Welterweight title.

In 2012, Christy retired from boxing after sustaining a number of accidents. In her profession, Christy earned 49 wins, with 31 of these being knockouts.

Christy Martin Is within the Corridor of Fame

Christy was inducted into the Worldwide Girls’s Boxing Corridor of Fame in 2014. Two years later, she turned the primary lady to be inducted into the Nevada Boxing Corridor of Fame.

When the Worldwide Boxing Corridor of Fame determined to permit ladies on the poll in 2019, Christy was included and inducted the next yr.

Christy Martin’s Ex-Husband Tried to Kill Her

In 2010, Christy was stabbed a number of instances and shot in her torso by Jim. Jim attacked her after she tried to go away him following an alleged argument. Christy survived the assault.

“I’m a fighter and that’s what I do,” Christy mentioned in a 2011 interview with ESPN after recovering from her accidents. “That’s all I understand how to do, is struggle.”

Jim died in November 2024 whereas serving his sentence at Graceville Correctional Facility in Graceville, Florida.

Christy Martin Is Married to Former Rival Lisa Holewyne

In her profession, Christy confronted off towards Holewyne a number of instances The pair had their first match in 2001 and Christy acquired the win in a unanimous determination after 10 rounds.

“We fought one another in 2001. She’s a world champion. She was inducted into the Girls’s Boxing Corridor of Fame,” Christy recalled to The Guardian in 2022. “So we met after which we sparred a few instances, and he or she was kind of in my circle of individuals, one of many adjoining mates.”

After information broke about her assault, Holewyne reached out to Christy to test on her. Their friendship finally turned romantic.

“A couple of months after the whole lot occurred, and the trial with Jim, she began to name and test on me,” she mentioned. “After which she got here to one in every of my fights that I used to be selling in Charlotte and we’ve been collectively since.”

Christy and Holewyne tied the knot in 2017 and their relationship remains to be going robust.

“I simply needed to make my household completely happy. It’s by no means been about making me completely happy till I married Lisa,” she confessed. “I known as my mom and I advised her that we have been getting married and he or she mentioned, ‘No, you’re not,’ like I used to be 12 years outdated. I mentioned, ‘I lived 20 years making you cheerful. I’m going to stay the subsequent 20 years making me completely happy.’”

Christy Martin Based a Home Violence Nonprofit

Christy runs a nonprofit known as Christy’s Champs. The group presents boxing courses for kids and moms dwelling in home violence shelters.