Christy Martin
Born a Coal Miner’s Daughter, Christy was raised in a small town in southern West Virginia she began playing sports early, with her love for competition evident at Concord College where she played basketball while earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. During college, she entered a Toughman/Toughwoman contest, and became hooked on boxing, thus starting what would be a lifelong journey.
In 1993, Christy signed a promotional contract with world renowned boxing promoter Don King. She started boxing on some of the biggest pay-per-view cards in the sport, headlined by Hall of Famers Mike Tyson, Julio Caesar Chavez, Felix Trinadad and Evander Holyfield. An exciting and bloody victory on the undercard of the heavyweight championship bout between Mike Tyson and Frank Bruno landed her on the cover of Sports Illustrated (April 15, 1996). Christy’s fame skyrocketed, leading her to appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, an episode on the Roseanne sitcom, along with many other high profile shows on the television show circuit.
Over the next eight years, Christy fought in some of boxing’s most famous arenas, including Madison Square Garden and Caesars Palace. Places that had not previously hosted women boxing. One of her greatest honors came in 1996 when one of her training sessions was opened to the public and held in the heart of Time Square, closing the famous Manhattan landmark to a delighted and packed adoring New York City crowd. Christy was also the Grand Marshall for The International Boxing Hall of Fame induction weekend in 1996 and a repeated guest for the next several years.
The entire time Christy enjoyed her own success, she owned and supported a boxing gym in Orlando and then moved the gym to Apopka, Fl. She was named the Florida Coach for the Golden Gloves team that traveled to compete in the national tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2008.
In November 2010, Christy was a victim of a severe domestic violence attack in which she was stabbed repeatedly, shot and left for dead by her then husband, Jim Martin who is now serving 25 years in prison. The attack also ended three years of an addiction to cocaine, which she had turned to during her bouts with depression in order to endure the years of physical and mental abuse she had been privately dealing with during her marriage. She has turned much of her focus to speaking out against domestic violence and trying to help victims and survivors regain their life confidence.
She concluded her career in 2012 with an impressive 49 victories, two WBC World Championships and was named WBC Emeritus Champion. Christy is considered a legend by boxing pundits and publications for both her skills inside the ring and the gender barriers she broke during her career. Christy was the first female boxer to be inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, she was also included in the first class of fighters inducted into the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame and in 2018 will be included in the class being inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame as well as The National Boxing Hall of Fame. 2019 Christy will be inducted into the Carolina’s Legends HOF. 2020 brought the first class of female fighters to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame making Christy the first female fighter to be included with the legends of boxing.
Pink Promotions, Inc was established so Christy could stay connected to boxing as a promoter. She has pledged to use her vast knowledge gained from her career to assist up-and-coming fighters to get to the championship level. North Carolina boxing fans recognized Christy as the promoter of the year for 2017. Christy Martin Promotions replaced Pink Promotions, Inc for 2018 to start what will be a long and exciting display of championship quality boxing. Christy Martin Promotions was once again named promoter of the year for NC for 2018, also being named promoter of the event of the year for the Feb 23 event in Charlotte.
Christy’s Champs is a non-profit that will assist victims and survivors of domestic violence. Recently, Christy’s Champs joined forces with Turning Point Domestic Violence Center and Shelter to provide a program that will help the children of victims and survivors, as well as survivors themselves. The program will consist of boxing, MMA and life training with emphasis on life training.
Christy’s life story has been written into a major motion picture. The movie will focus on the barriers broken, the rise and stardom of the women’s boxing legend while simultaneously depicting Christy’s personal fall and life struggles in and out of the ring. Prominent author, Ron Borges in writing a book of Christy’s life history to be release in June 2022. Netflix is releasing a feature documentary Aug 2021.