How “48 Hours” helped Sydney Sweeney prep for new role as champion boxer Christy Martin

People often discuss which Hollywood star might play them in a movie about their life. For legendary boxer Christy Martin, the actor turned out to be Sydney Sweeney. Sweeney transformed into “Christy,” which hits theaters on Nov. 7. 

Before Martin’s story was told on the big screen, she sat down with “48 Hours” in 2020 to share her story. An encore of “Christy Martin – the Fight of her Life” airs Saturday, Nov. 8, at 9/8c on CBS and streams on Paramount+.

Raised as a coal miner’s daughter in a small town in West Virginia, to becoming a world championship boxer, Martin made headlines as a pioneer in women’s boxing. But few knew of the personal battles she was facing outside the ring.

In the episode, “48 Hours” details the story of Martin’s struggles with identity, acceptance, drug addiction, and domestic violence at the hands of her former husband and trainer, Jim Martin. “The same story that you guys got, Sydney puts out there for the people to see and to gain inspiration from,” Martin recently told “48 Hours.”   

Sweeney spent months preparing for the role, including intense boxing training to recreate Martin’s actual fights. In addition to physical preparations, Sweeney told “48 Hours” about the research she did to play Christy. “I mean, I had a lot to be able to pull from and go off of. She had her book, there was the ’48 Hours’ special … There were interviews and fight footage. So there was a lot I could prepare with before I met Christy, and then I had Christy in my corner, so I was able to ask her questions and have her by my side and be able to watch her.”

Martin requested the writers not to “Hollywoodize” her life as they scripted her story. Martin said writer Mirrah Foulkes responded, “There’s enough crazy s*** that’s happened in your life, we don’t have to.”

As her survival story continues to reach more people, Martin hopes it can help inspire others. “We’re showing a pathway to get out of a domestic violence situation. We’re showing how important it is for parents, relatives, friends to be accepting of someone who’s a little different … But I’m the ultimate underdog … If you can believe it, you can achieve it. Dream big. My Dad used to tell me to dream big, and I think I did.” 

If you or someone you know needs help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 [SAFE].