Born in the tropical state of Hawaii on March 10, 1966, Lisa Holewyne relocated to Houston, Texas during her adolescence. She displayed her athletic prowess at Spring Branch High School, participating in softball and track events, eventually leading her to compete in the heptathlon at The University of Texas, where she completed her BBA degree.
Her stint with the sport of boxing began post-university, with multiple victories at local Golden Gloves events. This sparked a realization in Lisa that she could turn this passion into a career, a decision that launched her on an incredible journey.
The first time Lisa encountered Christy Martin was within the confines of a boxing ring on November 17, 2001, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Despite Lisa’s majority decision loss, this event paved the way for an unexpected friendship between the two, growing stronger over time and leading to their eventual reconnection after Christy emerged from hiding.
Netflix’s ‘Untold: Deal with the Devil’
The Netflix docuseries “Untold: Deal with the Devil” sheds light on the tumultuous life of Christy Martin, a key figure in the legalization of women’s boxing and a former American world champion. Christy’s life took a tragic turn when her ex-husband, Jim Martin, shot her. Currently, Christy is married to her one-time boxing opponent, Lisa Holewyne.
Lisa Holewyne was a determined athlete right from her high school days, exhibiting exceptional skills in softball and track. As a university student, she was encouraged to compete in the seven-event heptathlon due to her versatile athletic abilities. Lisa’s boxing career began with several Golden Gloves titles, leading to her professional debut in 1998. Her ambition was clear: elevate female boxing and strive to be the best.
Lisa’s boxing career spanned eight years (1998-2006) during which she fought 44 bouts (25-17-2) covering 267 rounds. This period was crucial for the sport, with Lisa’s career serving as a testament to her relentless pursuit of excellence, taking on formidable opponents like Christy Martin, Mary Jo Sanders, Marischa Sjuaw, Sunshine Fettkether, and Layla McCarter, and notably, Sumya Anani, who she faced twice.
Lisa’s fearless attitude and willingness to face any opponent earned her a rightful place in the IWBHF and established her as a cornerstone of the sport’s success.
On April 21, 2001, Lisa won a ten-round unanimous decision against four-time world champion Marischa Sjauw of the Netherlands, securing the vacant WIBF Welterweight title. Over her career, she also won the WIBF Super Lightweight world champion, PBI Light Welterweight World champion, and GBU Welterweight world title. This was covered by Sue TL Fox of WBAN, who had the privilege of reporting on this pivotal moment in Lisa’s career.
Present Day Lisa Holewyne
The riveting and moving story of one of America’s most renowned women boxers, Christy Salters Martin, is beautifully narrated in CBS’ ’48 Hours: Christy Martin – The Fight of Her Life’. Christy not only had to fight hard to make her mark in the world of boxing, but her journey was also marked by personal struggles.
Christy spent most of her life concealing her sexuality and was trapped in a destructive marriage. However, she eventually found her successful conclusion with Lisa Holewyne, a boxing ring adversary turned spouse. Who is Lisa Holewyne? Let us delve deeper!
Lisa Holewyne – A Brief Background
Born in Hawaii on March 10, 1966, Lisa Holewyne moved to Houston, Texas, in her teenage years. An accomplished athlete, Lisa was active in softball and track at Spring Branch High School. She also competed in the grueling seven-event heptathlon while earning her Bachelor is in Business Administration from The University of Texas.
Lisa ventured into the boxing world and, after claiming several regional Golden Gloves titles, she saw a promising career ahead. Her first encounter with Christy Martin was on November 17, 2001, in a boxing ring in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their unlikely friendship blossomed over the course of their careers, and after Christy came out, their bond deepened.
Lisa Holewyne – Where Is She Now?
Currently 54, Lisa Holewyne lives in Austin, Texas, with her wife, Christy Salters. The couple tied the knot on November 25, 2017, after a brief courtship of just four months. Even though Lisa has retired from boxing, she ardently supports Christy at every event and match organized by Christy Martin Promotions, a boxing advertising and management company.
Lisa’s successful boxing career, with a record of 25-17-2, earned her a spot in the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame (IWBHF) on August 30, 2019. Nowadays, Lisa is the proud owner of a refurbishment company, Remodel Austin, which initially started as a flooring business. Over the past decade, the company has expanded its services to cover all aspects of restoration.
Trailblazing Boxing Champion Shares Her Story in New Netflix Docuseries
In Netflix’s “Untold: Deal with the Devil,” boxing legend Christy Salters Martin narrates her journey from a sports icon to a figure of love and courage, released last week.
To many, Martin remains a boxing legend whose triumphant career played a pivotal role in establishing the credibility of women’s boxing globally. However, the boxing ring was not only the place where the West Virginia native fought her battles.
Laura Brownson’s “Untold: Deal with the Devil” delves into the life of Martin, who emerged as a groundbreaking female professional boxer in the mid-1990s, winning 49 bouts and featuring on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The documentary, part of Netflix’s five-part “Untold” series, cleverly combines old footage with current interviews, allowing Martin to recount the years of mistreatment she suffered from her former husband and coach, Jim Martin, and her journey towards accepting her lesbian identity.
“In my life, the boxing ring was my only safe haven,” said 53-year-old Martin in “Deal with the Devil,” aired just last week. “Boxing was my escape route. It was preparing me to break free from my destined fate.”
Brownson confessed that she was introduced to Martin through Maclain and Chapman Way, the creative brains behind Netflix’s “Wild Wild Country” and producers of the “Untold” series.
Despite her limited understanding of the sport’s technical aspects, the director was keen to delve “beneath the headlines” to highlight Martin’s “extraordinary courage.”
“I was taken aback by the incredible athleticism, strategy, expertise, and dedication necessary in high-level boxing,” Brownson told HuffPost. “I was delighted to learn that, despite Christy’s traumatic end to her first marriage, she has now discovered genuine love and partnership. And everyone loves a sports story that evolves into a love story, right?”
The documentary also reveals the brutal attack by Jim Martin, which almost cost her life. In 2010, after discovering her plan to dissolve their marriage and her ongoing relationship with another woman, Jim Martin attacked her with a knife and gun. He was later convicted of attempted second-degree murder with a firearm and is currently serving a 25-year sentence.
Today, Christy Martin is a vocal supporter for survivors of domestic violence. She has also found personal joy, and in 2017, she married Lisa Holewyne, a former boxing adversary.
