Fighting for Survival

About the Author

Christy Martin is the most successful female fighter in boxing history and widely regarded as the woman who legitimized women’s participation in boxing and other combat sports. Discovered by legendary promoter Don King, Martin went undefeated for nearly a decade, won the WBC world junior welterweight championship, and became the first female fighter to box on national television, premium cable (SHOWTIME), and pay-per-view. In 2020 she became the first woman enshrined by the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Martin is CEO of Christy Martin Promotions and runs a charitable foundation, Christy’s Champs, that helps domestic violence survivors and their children. She is a frequent speaker around the country on domestic violence issues. Today she is happily married to a former opponent, Lisa Holewyne. Originally from Mullens, WV, Martin now splits her time between central Florida and Austin, TX.

Ron Borges covered boxing, pro football, golf, baseball, hockey, and four Olympic Games for 25 years at the Boston Globe. He then became the lead sports columnist at the Boston Herald for 12 years. He was selected one of America’s top 10 sports columnists by the Associated Press Sports Editors multiple times, and his work has been anthologized in “Best Sports Stories” more than a dozen times. He is the author of Fighting for Survival with Christy Martin, who is considered the greatest female fighter in combat sports history. He is a winner of the Nat Fleischer Award for Excellence in Boxing Journalism and, in 2022, was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.