Chilling true story of ‘female Rocky’ left for dead in gruesome attack that could earn Sydney Sweeney an Oscar

Sydney Sweeney has swapped her glamorous image for a tough new look as she shoots her new movie Black Bear.

The Euphoria star revealed a dowdy brown hairstyle and comfort-wear outfit for her role as trailblazing boxer Christy Salters-Martin in director David Michod’s upcoming biopic.

Christy’s remarkable story is as incredible as any of the heroines Sweeney has played.

She married her coach Jim Martin (played by Ben Foster in the movie) who went on to abuse the female boxer.

Christy’s riveting story made headlines in 2010 when her controlling husband stabbed Christy repeatedly and shot her in the chest – nearly missing her heart.

He did so after she told him that she was seeing her female high school sweetheart, Sherry Lusk, and that she wanted a divorce.

Christy’s pink 9mm handgun was the weapon Martin used.

The prize fighter miraculously survived the murder attempt. Jim Martin is now serving a 25-year-sentence in a Florida prison for second-degree attempted murder. His expected released date is 2035. He will be 91 years old.

Actress Sydney Sweeney revealed a dowdy brown hairstyle and comfort-wear outfit for her role as legendary boxer Christy Martin in director David Michod’s upcoming film, Black Bear

Christy Martin pictured during her win at the WBC Women’s Lightweight Championship

Christy’s entry into the world of boxing started in 1986 when friends dared her to enter a Tough Woman contest.

After winning the fight and earning $300 – a $100 for each opponent she knocked out – she was hooked.

The young fighter would soon meet Jim Martin, her trainer who would later become her husband.

The pair wed in 1991. Christy was 23 and Martin was 48. But signs of trouble were there from the outset: In one interview she described their connection as more akin to a business relationship than a romantic one.

Christy Martin was 22 when she met her trained-turned husband, Jim Martin. The couple are pictured in March 1996 in New York City

Professional women’s boxer Christy Martin prepares for a training session with her husband and trainer Jim Martin

A gritty and tenacious fighter, Christy was undefeated and between 1989 to 2012 won 35 consecutive fights, CBS Sports reported.

Don King, the legendary boxing promoter recognized the young champ and signed her on. He featured her on a Pay-Per-View event headlined by Mike Tyson. She became the first woman boxer to work with King.

One of the highlights of her career was her win over Deirdre Gogarty at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in 1996 in the Tyson vs. Bruno II undercard.

That fight put women’s boxing on the map.

WBC and WBA women’s champion Christy Martin (left) is hit in the head by opponent Kathy Collins during their fight in New York May 12, 2001. Martin retained her titles with a 10-round decision

Martin lifting up Christy after she knocked out challenger Melinda Robinson in the 4th round of the Female Pound-For Boxing Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM Grand Garden

Her celebrity grew.

She became the first female boxer to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated, and did the TV circuit appearing on The Tonight show, among others.

The highs kept coming, in 2009, she held the WBC female super welterweight title.

In 2012, she stopped competing but left her mark – winning 49 bouts out of 59.

Christy connects with a punch to her opponent Andrea DeShong during their WBC Women’s Lightweight Championship on June 28. She retained her title in the seventh round

Christy Martin celebrates her victory over Lisa Holewyne of Austin, Texas during the Woman’s Pound For Pound Championship at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, November 17, 2001. Martin won the fight by unanimous decision

Martin won the fight against Andrea DeShong at the WBC Women’s Lightweight Championship

However, life out of the ring was filled with stress and hardship.

Christy was raised in Mullens, West Virginia, and her father worked as a coal miner. Her nickname was ‘The Coal Miner’s Daughter.’

When she told her family she was gay, she said, they would not accept it. It was that rejection that prompted her to marry Jim Martin, she told CBS News.

‘I was getting a lotta pressure from my family … to not be gay. It just seemed like it was easy,’ she said.

But realized early on into their marriage how homophobic her husband was.

‘Jim would always tell me … at a press conference, if I’m fighting some girl that’s clearly there with her girlfriend ah, ‘Make sure you say somethin’ derogatory about her — sexuality,’ she revealed.

Christy pictured with her parents. She was the ‘coal miner’s daughter’ since her dad worked as a coal miner in West Virginia

During their turbulent relationship, he manipulated her and constantly threatened to expose the truth about her sexuality.

‘Jim Martin convinced me that the world hated me. … I’m talkin’ about family, friends, the boxing world, ‘ she said.

‘He would always say, ‘I’m gonna tell the world you’re a lesbian.’ And for whatever reason — you know, I just wasn’t strong enough in me to say, ‘Go ahead …’ , she said, in part.

In 2007, Christy’s career hit a low. Jim had brought home cocaine. Feeling hopeless, Christy began using while her husband supplied her addiction. But eventually she got clean and took back control.

During that dark time, she believed Jim was recording her taking the drugs that she believed was to blackmail her.

In November 2010 she was ready to leave her toxic relationship. She told Jim the wanted out of their marriage and that she was seeing her old high school flame, Sherry Lusk.

He would not accept it and it turned violent.

‘For 20 years, he told me that if ever I left, he would kill me,’ she recalled.

‘I stopped. I turned. And I looked at him right in his eyes and told him, ‘Do what you have to do,’ she said, in part.

That was when Jim stabbed and shot Christy. Despite her grim injuries she still managed to fight back.

Bleeding and battered, Good Samaritan Rick Cole saw her in the street and rushed her to the emergency room. She was airlifted to a nearby trauma center and survived the heinous attack.

The 9mm pink handgun Martin used when he opened fire on his wife shooting her in the chest. The weapon has blood marks on it

The knife that Martin used when he repeatedly stabbed Christy

Her bloodied shirt after she was shot that was presented in court

She was hospitalized with grim injuries she sustained when Martin nearly killed her but miraculously survived

Jim Martin, who fled the scene and was on the run was eventually found days later and taken into custody.

The case went to trial in April 2012, and Martin was found guilty of second-degree attempted homicide, and sentenced to 25 years. Now, 78, he is serving time at the Graceville Correctional Facility in Jackson County, Florida, as per Essentially Sports.

In 2020, Christy was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, the first year that women were on the ballot.

Today, the successful sports figure is the CEO of her own boxing promotion company, and also runs Christy’s Champs, a program to help victims of domestic violence.

Her relationship with Lusk didn’t last, but she is now happily married to former ring rival Lisa Holewyne.

Christy hasn’t spoken directly to Sweeney about the movie. But she said she’s delighted the young star is playing her and has even offered to train her.