Christy Martin (boxer)
Christy Martin | |
---|---|
Born | Christy Renea Salters[1] June 12, 1968[1] |
Nationality | American |
Other names | The Coal Miner's Daughter[1] |
Statistics | |
Weight(s) | Light middleweight[1] |
Height | 5 ft 4+1⁄2 in (164 cm)[1] |
Reach | 64 in (163 cm)[1] |
Stance | Orthodox[1] |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 59 |
Wins | 49 |
Wins by KO | 31 |
Losses | 7 |
Draws | 3 |
No contests | 0 |
Christy Renea Martin (born June 12, 1968) is a former American world champion boxer and currently the CEO of Christy Martin Promotions.
Early life
Martin was born in Mullens, West Virginia with the name Christy Salters[2][3] and attended Mullens High School.[4]
She played various sports as a child including Little League baseball and all-state basketball. She attended Concord College in Athens, West Virginia on a basketball scholarship and earned a B.S. in education.[2][3]
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.[2] 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.[2]
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. Andrea DeShong then beat Martin in a five-round decision. Martin then had nineteen consecutive wins, including two against Jamie Whitcomb and Suzanne Riccio-Major as well a rubber match win against Buchanan. On October 15, 1993, Martin had her first title fight against Beverly Szymansky, for the WBC women's Jr. Welterweight world championship. 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.[3]
Martin defended her title six more times, including a rematch with Szymansky, a fourth fight with Buchanan and defenses versus Melinda Robinson and Sue Chase, winning all of them, before the fight that many credit for putting women's boxing on the sports fans' radar took place: On March 16, 1996, she and Deirdre Gogarty 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.[3]
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. Martin won her next two fights by ten-round decisions against Lisa Holeywine and Mia St. John.[3]
In 2003 Martin fought Laila Ali and lost by a knockout in the fourth round.[3]
Martin's next fight in 2005 was a second-round knockout against Lana Alexander in Lula, Mississippi.[3]
In 2005 a fight with Lucia Rijker, entitled "Million Dollar Lady", was canceled because Rijker ruptured her Achilles during training.
On September 16, 2005, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 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.[3]
Martin holds a record of 49 wins, 7 losses and 3 draws with 31 wins by knockout.[3] 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, Evander Holyfield, Félix Trinidad and Julio César Chávez.
Martin was promoted by Don King.[3] She 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.[5] The fight was postponed due to a rib injury to Christy Martin. The rescheduled rematch took place June 4, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles on the Julio Ceasr 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. 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.[6][7][8]
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.[9] She survived the attack. On November 30, James Martin was arrested and taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center after he stabbed himself.[10]He was booked in Orange County Jail and charged with attempted first degree murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.[11]
In April, 2012, James Martin was found guilty of attempted second-degree murder.[12] He was sentenced two months later to 25 years in prison. He is currently serving his sentence at Graceville Correctional Facility in Graceville, Florida.[13][14]
Personal life
Christy was married to former ring rival Lisa Holewyne on November 25, 2017.[15] Salters Martin currently is the CEO of Christy Martin Promotions a boxing promotion company that has promoted 13 events in North Carolina since 2016 and will be promoting boxing events in Jacksonville, Florida.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Christy Martin". BoxRec. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Outstanding Women Athletes: Who they are and how they influenced sports, Janet Woolum [1]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Women's Boxing: Christy Martin Biography".
- ^ "BOXER WEARS LIPSTICK, AND SHE IS A WINNER". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ "Sports News & latest headlines from AOL". AOL.com.
- ^ "Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame to induct 11, including 1st woman". thenewstribune. Archived from the original on 2016-03-09.
- ^ "First female voted into Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame". Boxingjunkie.
- ^ Christy Martin finally stands alone as boxing Hall of Famer - Orlando Sentinel
- ^ "Female boxer Christy Martin hospitalized after attack". reuters.com. 2010-11-25. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
- ^ Prieto, Bianca (November 30, 2010). "Deputies track down, arrest Christy Martin's husband". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved December 1, 2010.
- ^ "Current Inmate Database - James V. Martin". Orange County Inmate Records. Retrieved December 1, 2010.
- ^ "Boxer Christy Martin's ex guilty of attempted murder". Orlando Sentinel. April 27, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
- ^ http://www.dc.state.fl.us/offenderSearch/detail.aspx?Page=Detail&DCNumber=X78664&TypeSearch=AI
- ^ "James Martin gets 25 years for trying to kill boxer Christy Martin". Orlando Sentinel. June 26, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2012.
- ^ Morrison, Jane Ann (28 May 2011). "Boxer tells of her attack to draw attention to domestic violence". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
External links
- 1968 births
- Living people
- American shooting survivors
- American women boxers
- Concord University alumni
- Lesbian sportswomen
- LGBT sportspeople from the United States
- LGBT people from West Virginia
- People from Apopka, Florida
- People from Mullens, West Virginia
- Sportspeople from Florida
- Boxers from West Virginia
- LGBT boxers
- Light-middleweight boxers