Christy Martin
Christy Martin is overwhelmed.
Martin, a boxing legend from Mullens, will be honored this week by the West Virginia Legislature.
Martin became the first prominent female professional boxer in the country. She signed with legendary boxing promoter Don King, and she helped bring women’s boxing into the mainstream.
She fought from 1989 to 2012, and she held the WBC female super welterweight championship in 2009. Now, she’s a boxing analyst and promoter as well as a motivational speaker and author.
Her life story has been marked by professional triumph, personal tragedy and survival after being shot and left for dead by her husband. Her story was the subject of last year’s motion picture “Christy,” starring Sydney Sweeney.
“I am just astounded,” Martin said of the recognition she’s receiving Thursday by the Legislature. “It’s hard to believe. I’m a West Virginian … always have been, always will be. I love my state, and love my people. I’m just very proud and incredibly honored.”
While she inspired many with her boxing accomplishment, Martin’s career outside of the squared circle has been even more moving.
In her book “Fighting for Survival,” Martin wrote about sexual abuse she endured as a child by a family friend. She has shared how her longtime husband and manager – 25 years her senior – was emotionally and physically abusive.
Martin also says her husband knew she was a lesbian. She says he would threaten to out her publicly, used her cocaine addiction to control her and used her prize money to live an extravagant lifestyle.
After Martin reconnected with her high school girlfriend on social media in 2010, she told her husband she wanted a divorce. Later that year, she was shot and stabbed by her husband and left for dead.
But, like she has her entire life, she survived that attack. And she testified against her husband, who died in prison in 2024. Martin married Lisa Holewyne, a boxing rival, in 2017.
Now, she uses all of her life experiences as a motivational speaker. She talks about boxing, sports, domestic violence, children’s issues, bullying and LGBTQ issues.
“It’s who I am,” she says of her efforts to help people, recounting something she promised God when she was lying in that hospital bed in 2010. “If you let me live, I’m going to help as many people as I can. Actually, I said I would help one person before I leave this earth. But I want to help as many people as I can. That’s just my nature.
“Whether it be with boxing to give fighters an opportunity or with a domestic violence survivor who needs some help, I try to help,” Martin said. “Sometimes, people just need to hear your story. And if we talk about something, more people are going to be more willing to talk about it as well.”
Last year, the movie “Christy” detailing her life story was released. Sydney Sweeney played Martin.
“Sydney Sweeney has a lot of fans,” Martin said. “And a lot of her fans didn’t want to see her not being sexy Sydney. But the movie reached a different audience that way. More people were able to hear my story. And now, it’s streaming.
“So, I’m getting messages every day from everywhere. People thanking me for sharing my story. Telling me how it’s an inspiration, especially people in domestic violence situations who don’t realize what’s happening to them or had just accepted what was happening to them.”
Martin said she tries to get back to West Virginia for at least one week a month to spend time with her father.
“He took care of me for 57 years, so I want to help him as much as I can,” she said.
She’s currently in Mullens, but is excited to visit the Charleston area Thursday for the legislative recognition as well as an evening screening of “Christy” at The Alban Theater in St. Albans.
Webb
She thanked Charleston attorney and former lawmaker Rusty Webb, who coordinated everything.
“It all came from Rusty,” Martin said. “He just made it happen.”
Webb says Martin is more than deserving of the honor.
“It is long overdue that Christy Martin be recognized by her home state for what she has accomplished and endured,” Webb said. “She broke barriers, survived unimaginable adversity and continues to give back to the sport. West Virginia is proud to call her one of our own.
“We need to honor our fellow West Virginians who represent us well on the national stage. We simply don’t do this enough.”
Both the House of Delegates and state Senate will take up resolutions honoring Martin’s accomplishments as well as her courage, legacy, advocacy and representation of West Virginia nationally.
Before Thursday evening’s film viewing, there also will be a meet-and-greet with Martin at 5:30 p.m. at The Tap in St. Albans. The movie screening will begin at 7 p.m. at The Alban Theater. The screening is free and open to the public courtesy of The Webb Law Centre. Please note seating is limited to 300 people at the theater, and it will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Following the screening, Martin will participate in a live audience question-and-answer session before returning to The Tap for a post-film reception.
“I just want to keep spreading my story and talking about domestic violence and about how important it is for people to make a change,” Martin said. “Don’t stay in a bad situation because it can end up like mine did … or worse.”
