Stone Hopes To Steal Martin’s 50th Victory
On Saturday, June 4 female fighter Christy Martin hopes to claim her historic 50th victory in the ring. The slugger, nicknamed the “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” is a woman on a mission.
But there is another woman standing in her way. One woman hoping to steal the thunder–and the victory–from the gloves of the heralded champion from Bluefield, West Virginia.
This woman is Dakota Stone (9-8-5, 1 KO), hailing from Seattle, Washington. And even though her record on paper doesn’t quite match Martin’s (49-5-3, 31 KOs) ledger, this dark horse, the underdog in the anticipated “chick fight,” believes an upset is possible. Dakota has squared off against the likes of Layla McCarter, Natascha Ragosina, Jisselle Salandy, Olivia Gerula, Ann Wolfe, among others. In Stone’s corner are trainer Mathis Hill, Larry Bradley and Butch Gottlieb. At today’s weigh-in, official weights were 149 for Dakota and 149.8 for Christy in what the emcee heralded as a “special welterweight attraction.”
I had a chance to visit with Team Stone during this week’s final press conference for the weekend’s collision taking place at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. The women’s matchup will be on the undercard of the Sebastian Zbik vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. WBC Middleweight Championship bout promoted by Top Rank in association with Zanfer Promotions, airing on HBO’s “Boxing After Dark” (BAD).
But this isn’t the first time the power-punching duo has met.
For both of the ladies, Saturday’s return to the canvas has been a long time coming. Both Martin and Stone’s last fights were against each other back in September 2009 for the WBC Female Light Middleweight belt. In that go-round, Christy got the victory by majority decision with scores of 95-95, 98-92 and 99-91.
This time around, Dakota hopes to get the victory in the rematch. Hoping for a taste of sweet revenge, the 5’10” titan in the ring is planning on giving it her all to score an upset against the 5′ 4 1/2″ female boxing icon. Having to wait almost two years has only sharpened the resolve of the fighter. Her cornerman Butch Gottlieb expressed how Stone has been anticipating a second opportunity. “When I first called Dakota to tell her about a fight being offered,” the amiable Gottlieb relays, “the only thing she said was, ‘Please tell me it’s Christy!'”
The original date of their rematch was to be March of this year on the Miguel Cotto-Ricardo Mayorga card. But in November, a tragedy hit Christy when she was shot and stabbed by her husband, Jim Martin. The tough-as-nails lady boxer overcome this shocking setback as her thousands of fans and supporters have cheered her on. At the press luncheon, seated on the dais next to Christy were her trainer Miguel Diaz and high-profile attorney Gloria Allred.
Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum took to the podium to introduce the ladies, declaring, “This is a quality women’s boxing match that will be very entertaining.”
The spotlight shining on women’s boxing is not often as bright as it could be, or should be. This is a golden opportunity for both fighters, and the two are well aware of this.
At the microphone, Dakota told the large crowd of media assembled, “I’d like to thank Top Rank for the rematch! I’m in great shape and I won the last fight anyway!”
The a huge round of applause erupted as Christy took the mic; it was clear how much this comeback means to the famed female warrior, who is understandably the sentimental favorite in the upcoming clash.
“I was at the lowest level I could be. Without boxing I don’t know where I’d be–it’s my therapy,” Martin announced to the audience, before issuing a warning to her challenger. “Now…To Dakota: This is Christy now–a true champion,” she continued. “JUST BE READY!”
I quickly looked to see Dakota’s reaction. Not exactly stone-faced. Upon hearing the verbal jab from Martin, Dakota Stone sat calmly, laughed and actually raised her water glass in a jaunty toast to her ring rival.
Another person watching Christy’s comeback bout is a third party who’s carefully eyeing the Stone-Martin matchup. Mia St. John was introduced by Bob Arum as a special guest in the crowd which was filled with many familiar faces including former heavyweight champ Lamon Brewster. The brunette beauty made a lively campaign vying for her own rematch against the “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” Mia and Christy fought in 2002 and St. John would also love a rematch.
But first Martin has to get past a tough woman of “Stone” in a scheduled six rounds going toe to toe. Dakota and Team Stone have a few plans of their own–and hope to pull of an upset victory come Saturday night.
After the women step down from the stage, I had some time to chat with the Stone camp. While the emphasis has been placed on Christy’s recent physical abuse, Dakota Stone opens up about her own brushes with domestic violence. Listen in as Dakota shares her thoughts about being the underdog and the long–and patient–wait she endured while seeking that second chance in rematching Christy Martin. She is both frank and funny in discussing her upcoming battle with the female boxing hero.
“I noticed you gave Christy a toast after hearing her remarks about you,” I said as Dakota sat down to join me. “So her comments didn’t get to you at all?”
“Not at all!” laughed the tall fighter. “I mean, she’s gotta say what she’s gotta say. But I’m so confident right now that her tactics and trash talking do NOT get to me at all.”
“So how much of an underdog do you consider yourself?” I ask.
“I do, definitely, consider myself the underdog. With the press–it’s ALL about Christy. It’s all about her,” Stone nods. “But when that bell rings, there’s just two of us in there. And all the press, and all the interviews and stuff doesn’t matter. I have trained really hard for this fight, especially for her, since our last fight. I’m so confident that she’s gonna be in for a surprise!”
In assessing that first fight against Christy, Dakota reveals what really went down. “I got that fight on three weeks notice. And I wasn’t in shape; I didn’t have a gym, I didn’t have a trainer. I had left my old trainer–I trained in my backyard!
“I had to drop 18 pounds in ten days for the fight–and I still got a majority draw! And I think I won and a lot of people thought I won; there was a lot of booing when the announced her.”
“What will be different this time around” I say to Stone, who was relaxed, down-to-earth and open during our conversation.
“I’m really confident right now in my skills. I have an advantage with my height, my reach,” she replies. “I have a new trainer that I’ve been working with for over a year. He’s really fine-tuned my style so that I’m really sharp right now. The things that I did last time that I thought won me the fight are ten times better, a hundred times better this time around!”
We next touched on Martin’s shocking assault last fall. “Now after what Christy went through with her husband, will you be able to put that aside when the bell rings?”
“Oh yeah. Person to person, I respect anybody who’s been through a domestic violence attack. I’ve been through it myself,” she shares.
“I’ve had to get restraining orders where they’ve been arrested, the whole thing. Not nearly as tragic as what she’s gone through, of course,” Dakota offers. “Not many people would be able to survive what she’s been through. I respect her for that and for making a comeback, shining as brightly as she can given the circumstances last year. I respect her as a woman–and as a survivor.”
After a split second, I quiz, “But when the bell rings?”
“When it comes to boxing, it’s business!” states Stone. “That’s my job; that’s her job too. We’re professionals. And so when the bell rings, we know that none of that other stuff matters. I’m not gonna be ‘co-dependent’ with her!”
And the spunky female fighter can’t wait till that bell sounds. “The last fight in March that got canceled, I was pissed off! I was frustrated,” she shrugs. “I trained hard. But in hindsight, I was concerned I would’ve looked like a ‘bad guy’ for winning. If I lost, I would’ve lost to someone who just got shot and stabbed and tortured by her husband. But now that she’s got plenty of time to heal and her recovery process, and she’s in shape and…well…I feel…”
“That all bets are off,” I say, finishing her sentence as she chuckles.
“All bets are off!” she agrees with a grin. “I’m not worried what anyone thinks of me. When I hit her, when I hurt her, if I hit that rib I’m not worried about what people are gonna think anymore. Now it’s about the fight!”
One last question before the boxer joins her team. “Dakota, did it surprise you or bother you that Christy and Mia had that exchange before your bout has even happened? Assuming she gets past you, how do you feel about their rematch?”
“Well it kinda made me laugh. It seemed really set up to me, a ploy? A TV thing?” she answers with a smile. “I looked out at Mia when she said to us, ‘Whoever wins the fight.’ Well, that’s gonna be ME! And if I fight her, she’s gonna get hurt! But I didn’t even watch their last fight. I don’t know who won and I don’t really care. It’s irrelevant ’cause I plan on winning this fight.”
If she is victorious this weekend, my next question is, “If you win, would you fight Mia St. John?”
“I would LOVE to fight Mia St. John,” Dakota says, eyes twinkling. “But I don’t think she has any intention of fighting me. She doesn’t want to get in the ring with me.”
Tough talk from a tough slugger.
Will Dakota be up to the task of taking away Christy’s historic 50th victory?
We will all find out Saturday night.
Christy Martin vs. Dakota Stone
(On undercard of Zbik vs. Chavez Jr.)
Saturday, June 4
Staples Center
Tickets: 800-745-3000
Photos by Mary Ann Owen