Christy Martin- Bio

In 1968,  Christy was born Christy Renee Salters in the coal mining town of Itmann, West Virginia. Her father, Johnny Salters, was a welder at the local coal mine and her mother, Joyce, was a stay-at-home mother. As a child, Christy played various sports and was the only girl on her town’s Little League baseball team. She attended Mullens High School and graduated from Concord College in Athens, West Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in education. Christy Martin Professional Career When she was 21 years old, Christy entered a Toughman Contest on a whim and was offered a professional boxing bout. At the time she had never stepped foot in a boxing ring. Her professional career exploded when, in 1993 she signed with Legendary Hall of Fame Promoter Don "Only in America" King. Within just 4 years, starting in 1996,  Christy was featured on the Televised Undercard undercard of four of the Biggest pay Per View Events of All Time headlined by Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.  She instantly became the biggest female star in boxing and was featured on the Cover of Sports Illustrated, a first for any female boxer. By the time she retired in 2012, Christy held a record of 49 wins, 7 losses, and 3 draws with 31 wins by knockout. In 2016, Christy became the first female boxer inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. In total, she has been inducted into six Halls of Fame, including the International Boxing Hall of Fame. She has appeared on “Leno”, “Letterman”, “Good Morning America,” the “Today” show, and others. Christy is the CEO of Christy Martin Promotions, a boxing promotion company, and is the founder of Christy’s Champs, an organization that supports victims of domestic abuse. Following her retirement, Christy also worked as a substitute teacher and as a domestic violence victim’s advocate. In 2017 she married former ring rival and world champion boxer Lisa Holewyne.
The Fight of Christy's Life
In 2010, Christy survived a violent murder attempt by her former husband. Her story was told in a 2021 Netflix documentary Series: Untold - Deal with The Devil - which received critical acclaim. In 2025 a Biopic directed by David Michaud starring Sydney Sweeney and Katy O'brien and Ben Foster is set to be released In Late 2025.