By Michael Marley

"You met a trainer named Jim Martin in Bristol, Tenn., and you wound up marrying him. How did that romance work?

It's definitely one of those things you don't plan for. He's 25 years older than I am. It's not like we went into this looking for a relationship. He was 100 percent against women's boxing. He didn't want me in the ring. He tried to get my sparring partner to break my ribs to discourage me.-- Interview with Christy Martin when she boxed at New York State Fair, 2009. (From Syracuse.com by Mike Waters.)

First off, like every miscreant shown on "COPS," Jim Martin is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Having said that, I always felt that there was something peculiar about the much older husband of "Coal Miner's Daughter" and boxing champ, Christy Martin.

Right now, Florida police are on the hunt for Martin, 66, after his wife told them he stabbed and then shot her in Orange County.

The Martins both come from West Virginia.

Jim acted as his wife's trainer and manager for many years.

Christy is age 42.

Her career ring record is 49-5-3 with 31 knockouts including a one-sided loss to Muhammad Ali's daughter, Laila Ali. That 2003 bout in Biloxi was halted in the fourth round.

The "Coal Miner's Daughter" tag was Martin's way of recognizing how she came from a rural background similar to that of country music icon, Loretta Lynn.

It was promoter Don King who put Christy on the boxing map. King had some grand illusions about turning the aggressive, attractive woman fighter into an athletic personality who could endorse a multitude of products.

King put Christy on some major platforms including on PPV TV cards featuring Mike Tyson main events.

King's muscle, combined with Tyson's drawing power, got Martin numerous bouts on Showtime and Showtime Event Television (SET).

One former DKP employee told me Wednesday night that he "was not shocked" at Christy's allegations.

"Jim had a quick temper, I remember that," the man said. "He confronted me once in Vegas and said to me, 'I hear you don't like my wife, what's up?'

"I told him, 'I never said that, Jim. What I said was I don't care for women's boxing in general. Then he said to me, 'How come you don't like my wife, what's your problem?' I just walked away but he looked like he wanted to fight me."

POLICE REPORT FROM ORANGE COUNTY (ORLANDO, FL.) WEB SITE:

November 24, 2010
Media Advisory/UPDATE
Case Number:  10-106404
Attempted Murder - Domestic
Location:  201 North Park Avenue - Florida Hospital Apopka /Emergency Room
Date/Time of Occurrence: 11.23.10 – 6:45 PM

UPDATE:   11.24.10/3:00 PM – Orange County Deputies responded to the home of James and Christy Martin at 1:11 PM yesterday afternoon in response to an out of state call from an acquaintance of Mr. Martin.  The caller feared that Mr. Martin was contemplating taking his life and that there might be firearms inside the residence.  Deputies made contact with Mr. Martin at his home and, after investigating the concerns of the caller, determined that there were no legal grounds take him into custody or deprive him of his property.  Deputies say Martin showed no signs of irrational behavior nor did he show any indication that he might harm himself or another person.  Martin was in the company of a neighbor/witness when deputies arrived.  The neighbor stated that he had been with Mr. Martin for “a couple of hours” and he showed no indication that he was contemplating suicide or violent behavior.  The call was cleared at 1:40 PM.

SYNOPSIS:   Orange County Deputies were dispatched to Florida Hospital North in reference to a white female who was driven to the hospital’s emergency room by a motorist she had flagged down near the Deer Lake Subdivision in Apopka.  Attending physicians determined that the woman, Christy Martin, 42, had stab wounds to her upper torso and left leg.  Further examination revealed that the victim also had been shot.  Victim Martin was conscious and alert when deputies arrived and was able to tell them that she had been stabbed by her husband. 

Investigators learned that victim Martin had returned to the couple’s Apopka residence after being gone for two days.  Martin told investigators that her husband, James Martin, 66, confronted her inside their home with a knife and handgun and they began to fight.  The victim told deputies she was able to get out of the house after being stabbed and flag down the motorist who drove her to the hospital.  She did not realize she had been shot during the altercation.

While the victim was being treated at the hospital deputies responded to the couple’s home and attempted to locate her husband.  The deputies saw evidence of a violent struggle inside the residence however the husband could not be located.  Investigators continue their search for the husband who is now a suspect in the violent attack on Martin.

Martin is described as a white male, DOB=12.05.43, 5’ 10”, 165 pounds, bald, and brown eyes.