CHRISTY MARTIN—former boxing world champion, Nevada Boxing Hall of Famer and International Boxing Hall of Famer—beat the devil in her Netflix documentary “Untold: Deal with the Devil.”
Who or what was the devil in her life? Was it Jim Martin, her former husband who abused her, stabbed her and shot her to be left for dead. Was it the critics who bombarded her with negativity because she was questioning the sexuality of her opponents? Was it the men who looked at her the first time she entered a boxing gym to train and workout to prepare for a fight?
It was all three and more. I was starstruck when and while I was conversing with her along with colleagues, professional boxer Rica Aquino and veteran sports journalist Brian Yalung. I watched her story on Saturday as part of my preparation for my interview with her the following day.
She was amiable, personable and very down to earth which, I’d like to think, is still prevalent among retired professional athletes who make it to their sport’s hall of fame.
Her going through a lot in her life is an understatement. A lesser woman, or a human being for that matter, would’ve thrown in the towel (no pun intended).
Martin established “Christy’s Champs” which, according to their website, christymartinpromotions.com, “Christy’s Champs is a growing movement of leaders who work to ensure those who suffer emotional and physical abuse in their families have an outlet to receive the education and support that they need to report, share and overcome violence and live a life free of threats, blackmail, shame and fear.”
Abuse comes in different forms, psychological, emotional, sexual and physical. Christy has made domestic abuse an advocacy of hers and it is something she doesn’t wish upon even on her worst enemy, maybe not even Jim, but that’s for another conversation.
I forgot to ask Christy if most boxers are so stubborn not to adjust or adapt to the opponent their fighting, like when she fought the woman she eventually married, two-time boxing world champion Lisa Holewyne. Martin worked on her footwork, she stuck and moved and stayed away from the corners and the ropes and kept the fight in the middle of the ring. She also used her quickness and counters to negate her height and strength disadvantage against Lisa.
These days, Christy Martin the Champion and Hall of Famer is now Christy Martin the promoter and manager. Working with Don King all those years has given her a ringside view on promoting big fights and big name boxers. She and Lisa are happy and contented to give back to the sport that’s given them so much.
I think if Christy Martin were either a basketball coach or a boxing coach or trainer, her players and boxers would run through a wall for her, and if I were one of her players and boxers, I would too.