Christy Martin

Bio

Right then. Christy Martin is the fighter who, more than anyone, dragged women's boxing out of the sideshow tent and into prime-time television. The Coal Miner's Daughter from West Virginia became the face of the women's game in the 1990s, headlining cards on Mike Tyson undercards and proving — in front of millions watching for the wrong reasons — that the women could actually fight. Her March 1996 war with Deirdre Gogarty on the Tyson v Frank Bruno PPV was the night that changed it.

Make no mistake, this was a proper fighter. 49-7-3 with 31 knockouts, world titles in two weight classes, and a willingness to throw with anyone in front of her. She fought from a flat-footed, come-forward style that made every fight she was in entertaining. She wasn't slick. She wasn't a defensive technician. She was a brawler with a left hook and a chin that didn't care.

Beyond the ring, her story has been one of the most courageous in the sport. She survived a horrific 2010 attack and has spent the years since campaigning for victims of domestic violence and serving as one of women's boxing's most important advocates. Now she's promoting through Christy Martin Promotions and lending her name to projects like the iVB San Francisco card — and if she's backing something, you should probably pay attention.