Boxing Hall Of Famer- Christy Salters Martin
Scottie “The Context” White
“The Coal Miners Daughter”
Christy Salters Martin is a pioneer of women’s boxing, her alias branded as the coal miners daughter starting fighting at age 21 garnering fame in the 1990s even appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Martin is a former champion hosting a sensational ledger of 49-7-3 (31 KOs) has seen it all in her glorious tenure. Signed to the infamous prominent boxing promoter Don King early in her career, punching herself to breach barriers in exposing much needed optics to women boxing in the 90’s, Martin would be at the forefront as the face of women boxing reeling a spectacular winning streak for close to a decade, cataloging a 35 fight winning stock that is impressive on all levels facing some tough competition along the way.
Martin tallied her in-ring showcases to the likes of Mia St. John twice who she defeated once, former World Champion Laila Ali who is the daughter of boxing great Muhammad Ali, Multi-time boxing champion and Former UFC Bantamweight Champ Holly Holmes to name a few.
Though Martin missed out on one of biggest fight in women’s boxing history on June 30, 2005 in facing another highly recognized boxer in Lucia Rijker, who had appeared in the Academy Award-winning film “Million Dollar Baby,” in Las Vegas, but at the end of the day still came out on top in holding a worthy reflection on her body of work in the ring.
In 2016 Christy Martin was the first women inducted into the boxing hall of fame, poised in her speech in front of hundreds of greats in attendance in Las Vegas, concluded in a standing ovation for the former women champion, boxing legend and achieving the pinnacle in awards of professional boxing. A momentous occasion indeed in highlighting years of sacrifice which is valued at the highest ticket of pugilist adulation will be forever remembered.
Asmuchas the internal preparation competing in one of the toughest combat sports in the world, Martin would find herself on the brink of tragedy embroiled in an abusive marriage, drug dependent and a well documented horrid incident finding herself defensively incapable to avoid being shot multiple times by her former spouse which she survived. Her recovery today in all of it is ongoing, as she has now retired from the sport of boxing pursuing other business endeavors. These days if she in a gym, its to check in on fighters as the CEO of her own (Christy Martin Boxing) promotions nestled in parts of North Carolina hosting several fight cards each month.
There is always barbershop conversations on boxing men or women and guaranteed a familiar name will surface in a dialogue or two mentioning this tough, tenacious and one of the first women to be inducted into the women boxing hall of fame in Christy Martin. A superb reward and well deserved in cementing her legacy, a front paging contribute to the growth process which continues to spar this day in a rally behind their male compeers for equal pay. Salute to a pugilist warrior who is battle tested through it all and still holds ground in the sport today as an intricate promotional staple.
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