On this episode of the podcast, Gabrielle Alejandro speaks with Christy Martin, the groundbreaking boxer and subject of the new Netflix documentary Untold: Deal with the Devil. The show tells the harrowing and true story of her pioneering rise, tragic fall and fight for her life.
Here’s a quick synopsis of the show: Growing up in a small town in West Virginia, Martin was a popular standout athlete, and as she began to win her first amateur fights, she struggled with being open about her sexual orientation, choosing to keep her relationships with women secret. She later found a coach in Jim Martin, a professional boxing trainer who, despite his initial skepticism about “women’s boxing,” signed on to help train her. They would later become romantically involved, despite their 20-year-plus age difference. After landing on Don King’s radar, Martin, under the moniker “The Coal Miner’s Daughter,” experienced a meteoric rise, including the cover of Sports Illustrated, breaking pay-per-view records in women’s boxing along the way. The fall from that height was steep and included substance abuse, domestic violence and a harrowing brush with death. Martin reveals how she battled back to level ground and a content personal life, which now includes an induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Additional interviewees include Mike Tyson, Laila Ali, Martin’s family, and convicted attempted murderer Jim Martin speaks for the first time since his imprisonment.
In short, this conversation with Christy is NOT one to miss!
