Whidbey boxer has inspiring story of her own

Though a recent Hollywood film explores the career of professional female boxer Christy Martin, many are likely unaware that South Whidbey has its own boxing legend who beat her in the ring.

“Christy,” a biopic starring Sydney Sweeney as Martin, was released in theaters earlier this month and flopped spectacularly. Entertainment Weekly reported that it brought in just $1.3 million at the domestic box office, earning it a ranking among the top 13 worst openings for a new release on more than 2,000 screens. Due to its mediocre reviews and exceptionally poor revenues, The Clyde Theatre in Langley doesn’t even plan to show it.

Dakota Stone, owner of Solid Stone Boxing Gym at Ken’s Korner in Clinton, faced Martin twice. Their first match in Syracuse, New York ended in a majority draw in Martin’s favor that still leaves a bitter taste in Stone’s mouth 16 years later.

“I was there to be the stepping stone,” she said, recalling that even the crowd booed at the outcome.

Stone is a national champion, having won a gold medal at the first international women’s boxing competition.

Nearly two years later in 2011, she squared off against Martin once again in a rematch held in Los Angeles. This time, Stone won.

“She was already ahead before we even started, and I knew I had to knock her out,” Stone said.

The rematch, which was held at what was then called Staples Center, hosted 18,000 spectators and aired on HBO, according to a previous South Whidbey Record story. A video of the fight was recently uploaded to YouTube – seemingly in alignment with the new movie – titled, “The Unbelievable Comeback of Christy Martin.” Though Martin lost, the “comeback” appears to be referring to the boxer’s reappearance the year after her husband attempted to murder her.

All the announcers seemed to be in support of Martin, giving little mention to the punches Stone landed during the six rounds. It was Martin’s venue, her crowd and her promoter. Had she won, it would have been Martin’s 50th victory – and Stone ruined that for her when she defeated her by technical knockout, or TKO.

Martin broke her hand during the fight and ran from her opponent toward the end. Officials stopped the fight and shortly after declared Stone’s victory.

“I have broken my hand in a fight and I’ve used my other hand,” Stone said. “She shouldn’t have thrown that punch again.”

There was supposed to be another rematch, but it never came to fruition. As Stone explained, the person who holds the No. 1 title is supposed to fight their rival within a year.

“She waited a year and a day and fought someone else,” Stone said.

Stone doesn’t plan to see the new movie. Her interactions with Martin have not made her a fan. There’s a level of mutual respect and good sportsmanship in the world of professional boxing, and Stone didn’t find that to be true with Martin.

“She was not trying to help any of us. She was not trying to be an advocate for the sport of women’s boxing,” Stone said. “It was strictly about being in a ring and having an opportunity to be violent towards people and get paid for it.”

At the same time, Stone wondered if there might be an inspirational story behind the new movie that’s designed to uplift women who have survived domestic violence. She believes that’s what it should be about, rather than just Martin’s achievements. In her retirement from boxing, Martin has been involved in motivational speaking engagements.

Martin did not return a request for comment from the South Whidbey Record by press time.

Stone has been boxing since 1996. While attending classes at the Art Institute of Seattle, which has since closed, she took photos of a friend who was a boxer. The black-and-white photos still hang on the wall of her boxing gym today.

That friend convinced her to come watch her spar, but Stone couldn’t stand seeing people hit each other. Instead, she accepted an invitation to come to the gym and work the punching bags.

“I went into the gym, and I hit the bag and my knees buckled,” Stone said. “It just felt so right in my body, like that’s what my body needed, was to just hit something and get that energy out.”

At one point, Stone was ranked in the top three for women’s boxing in the world; she traveled to many countries for fights, including Germany, Sweden, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago.

Though she never officially retired from the sport, Stone’s last fight took place in 2012. Unlike Martin and some of the other boxers, Stone never had a big promoter. She did, however, get an opportunity to move to Hollywood and work with famous boxing coach Freddie Roach, but she ultimately turned it down.

“I was not willing to sacrifice my island for my career,” she said.

The Navy brought Stone to Whidbey Island, where she worked as a hydraulics mechanic. In the ‘90s, she was honorably discharged for being gay under the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, around the time that Grethe Cammermeyer’s TV movie “Serving in Silence” came out.

Stone continued to live on Whidbey while training on the mainland. Women’s boxing as a sport was just getting started, and it was an exciting time to be part of it.

“It’s a dirty business but a pure sport,” she said.

Stone soon found she had a larger purpose in starting a boxing gym of her own, shortly after her last fight in 2012. The Clinton gym took on a life of its own, and it’s also where she met her wife, Lauren Stone, while teaching a women’s class.

“We are partners in this, we’re partners in life,” Lauren said. “We’re good partners together, we’re good teammates. So it’s fun to do this with her.”

The gym currently offers classes for seniors ages 55 and up, women and non-binary individuals, teens and people with Parkinson’s disease.

During a recent session of the latter class, attendees warmed up on the bags before getting in the ring and hitting mitts with Stone and Lauren. It’s a friendly learning environment, and no one is worried about getting injured.

“I’m convinced that the only real way to hold off Parkinson’s is exercise, vigorous, regular exercise,” Mark Nyberg of Coupeville said. “I look forward to it. It’s my favorite thing to do during the week.”

Grinning ear to ear, Ron Donovan of Freeland worked up a sweat during the class. He believes it must help with his symptoms.

“I know it wouldn’t help just sitting on my couch,” he said.

May Sinclaire, Stone’s mother, said the Parkinson’s classes are attended by the most dedicated group of people. But it’s also fun to see the men and women of the Golden Gloves class try to outdo each other and just as exciting to see the younger folks spar in the other classes.

“This is a very healing place, emotionally and physically,” Sinclaire said.

People often come to the gym because they need help with anxiety, recovery from abusive relationships or other social issues. They leave feeling empowered and seen; some come from as far away as Port Townsend.

Stone herself is bipolar, and she said keeping the gym running has been a big factor in helping her manage her own mental health.

The couple’s daughters, Jayda and Jolene Coleman, are 13 and 15 and have been taught to box but don’t currently plan on going pro.

“They’re into boys and looking pretty right now,” Stone said.

When asked if she would fight Martin again today, if given the chance, Stone replied that she didn’t know if she’d be willing to sacrifice her time at the gym to go and train. It also gives her pause when she thinks about the negativity she experienced in Martin’s presence.

“Hopefully if I ever have a movie, maybe it will be very inspirational,” Stone said.

For more information about the gym, visit solidstoneboxing.com.