Tyrone Everett (April 18, 1953 – May 26, 1977) was a professional boxer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. He was a top-rated contender in the junior lightweight division during the 1970s. His best known fight is a controversial decision loss to World Boxing Council Junior Lightweight Champion Alfredo Escalera on November 30, 1976. Everett was killed by his girlfriend on May 26, 1977, after she found him with a transvestite.
Boxing career
In his early teens, Everett was inspired to start boxing after a kid who lived across the street from the Everett home showed him a boxing trophy he had won. Everett briefly quit after losing an amateur bout to Jerome Artis, but Jimmy Arthur, who trained Everett, convinced him to return to the gym.
Known as "The Mean Machine," Everett was a sublimely skilled southpaw. The Associated Press called him "a classic boxer, using the ropes, deceptive power and skillful counter-punching." In the book Philadelphia's Boxing Heritage 1876-1976, the authors stated that Everett "could do everything that champion Pernell Whitaker could do, and Everett was a harder puncher."
Everett turned professional in 1971 and eventually made enough money to buy a bar, two apartment houses and a Cadillac. "Money is the only reason I'm fighting," he once said. "Man, you gotta be out of your mind to say you like to fight. Who wants to get in the ring and get beat up?"
He also dreamed of winning a world title. "I see myself coming into the ring. I have the championship belt around my waist ... and the lights go down, and the spotlight hits me. I hear all the girls in the audience screaming, 'Whoo-eee, look at Tyrone Everett.' How can I lose with all these girls screaming at me?" Everett said.
On November 30, 1976, Everett challenged Alfredo Escalera for the World Boxing Council Junior Lightweight Championship at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. After fifteen rounds, Escalara was awarded a highly controversial split decision victory over the slick southpaw. Tom Cushman of the Philadelphia Daily News wrote: "Tyrone Everett won the junior lightweight championship of the world last night. Won it with a whirling, artistic, courageous performance that brushed against the edges of brilliance. Tyrone was standing tall, proud, bleeding in his corner after the 15 rounds, waiting for the championship belt to be draped around his waist, when they snatched it from him. Picked him so clean it’s a wonder they didn’t take his shoes and trunks along with everything else."
Veteran boxing judge Harold Lederman listed the verdict as the most controversial decision of all-time. He said it "may be history's worst decision."
At the time of Everett's death, he was scheduled to have a rematch with Escalera in Puerto Rico in June 1977.
Everett, who had a professional record was 36-1 with 20 knockouts, was inducted into the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006.
His younger brothers, Mike and Eddie Everett, were also professional boxers. In honor of their brother, they present The Everett Brothers Award annually to an outstanding amateur boxer from Philadelphia.
Death
On May 26, 1977, Everett was shot and killed by his girlfriend, Carolyn McKendrick, after she came home and found him with a transvestite named Tyrone Price.
Everett was found alone in a second-floor bedroom at McKendrick's home. He died minutes later at a hospital from a gunshot wound to the head. The bullet had struck him in the face, exited out the back of his head, went through a window and was found on the sidewalk across the street.
The Associated Press reported that packets of heroin, some marijuana and unidentified pills were found by police downstairs on the dining room table.
Everett lived with McKendrick at her row house in South Philadelphia. She was married but separated. McKendrick, a mother of two, left her husband of almost three years in 1974 and started dating Everett the following year.
McKendrick was seen leaving her house with Price shortly after the murder.
A warrant was issued for McKendrick's arrest, and she went to police headquarters with her attorney and turned herself in on May 31. She was charged with murder, possession of an instrument of crime, and possession of heroin. At the time of her arrest, McKendrick was free on probation following convictions the previous year on weapons and narcotics charges and for receiving stolen property.
Price agreed to testify against McKendrick under a grant of immunity.