Kriti Mehrotra
Born on June 12, 1968, Christy Renea Martin is a former athlete who is said to have legitimized women’s professional boxing in the United States. Having grown up in Mullens, Wyoming County, West Virginia, as Christy Salters — a name she has now reclaimed — she was involved with basketball and Little League baseball as a child. She attended Mullens High School before she enrolled at Concord College on a basketball scholarship and earned a B.S. in Education. Christy had set out to be a teacher, yet her plans changed.
With the moniker of “The Coal Miner’s Daughter,” we all realize that she is a former world champion boxer and the first woman boxer ever featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. But the one feature of her life that almost took over everything else was her attempted killing at the hands of her spouse, James Martin, on November 23, 2010. All this, in Christy’s own words, has been profiled on ’48 Hours: The Fight of Her Life.’ Considering her current career as a promotor, though, let’s take a look at her net worth, shall we?
How Much Money Did Christy Martin Earn in Her Boxing Career?
While Christy Martin was studying at Concord College as a forward on its basketball team, she won a boxing competition and collected $1,000 as a reward. Seeing the scope in the sport, she put her teaching plans on hold to give the ring life a shot, only to instantly be contacted by promotors. In 1990, she was connected to trainer James Martin, who chose to scare her off from boxing by having one of his male athletes physically hurt her, but once he noticed the sheer talent she possessed, he changed his mind.
In fact, by 1992, James managed to convince Christy to marry him despite their 24-year age difference. After a few more years of complete devotion and determination, on October 15, 1993, Christy had and won her first title fight, the WBC Women’s Jr. world championship, by knocking out her rival in three rounds. She defended her title a total of seven times, and in 1994, she made her Las Vegas debut, winning by a first-round knockout. Almost two years later, Christy created history and became the nominal women’s lightweight champion. With this win came fame like no other.
Not only did Christy secure a spot on Sports Illustrated Magazine’s cover, but she started making television appearances as well. From ’60 Minuets’ to ‘Late Show with David Letterman’ to ‘Roseanne,’ she did it all. Therefore, it came as no surprise that her per match fee went from a mere $15,000 to $150,000 nearly overnight. She retired in 2012 with a remarkable record of 49 wins, seven losses, and three draws, with 31 wins by knockout, making her the most successful and prominent female boxer in the United States’ history. It is said that she earned over $4 million by boxing alone.
Christy Martin’s Net Worth
Despite Christy Martin’s massive accomplishments, all her money seemed to disappear instantly due to her abusive relationship with James V. Martin and her cocaine addiction. She’d started to cut back once she found hope for the future, but that’s when the attempted murder occurred. Yet, Christy fought for her life, survived, and went on to become a teacher, something she always yearned to do. And now, by serving as the founder and CEO of Christy Martin Promotions and helping military veterans find stable work, she has a net worth of around $500 Thousand.
Read More: Is Christy Martin Married? Who is Her Wife?
