By Pedro Fernandez
Most of the time people sit around and discuss the “Sweet Science” among one another, they can easily recall the great fighters and champions of their time. My Grandfather and his era, they all thought Joe Louis was God. While my old man, he was of the opinion that Muhammad Ali was in fact a pugilistic Allah. It’s early 1975, and people in the S.F. Bay area people were ridiculously hyping junior lightweight boxer Ray Lunny III as if he were like the second coming of Christ.
MY HAVING AN “EPIPHANY” AT A RAY LUNNY FIGHT!
It was December of ’75 and the San Francisco Civic Auditorium was packed but not sold out. Local guy Lunny was a third-generation boxer who had failed in his two prior attempts at ascending the 130 lb. ladder. Drawing with ex-champ Ben Villaflor, and then losing to Vilomar Fernandez on points, both at home, Lunny’s 23-1 (10 KO’s) record had more to do with his Dad’s connections rather than his own ability. For this fight, Ray would challenge an undefeated southpaw in United States 130 lb. champion Tyrone Everett.
PROMOTER WENT UP AGAINST SANTA CLAUS!
With Christmas being a week away, the crowd was lacking. A lean southpaw fighting out of Philadelphia, Tyrone was 29-0 with 17 shortened evenings. He was defending the United States belt back when there was only one, for the second time. Legendary scribe Jack Fiske had infuriated the locals when he predicted Everett would rout Lunny. Never the greatest on predictions, one could question the picks of the now retired-Godfather of boxing writers. But every boxing publication in existence at the time, including Flash Gordon’s sheet, they were all calling Tyrone Everett as the “Uncrowned Champion!”
MATCHING A PADRE AND AN ALTER BOY!
From the first bell, until the last one had clanged some 47 minutes later, Everett dazzled, out boxed, and out punched Lunny in a manner so perfect that it caused me to experience a kind of pugilistic scoreepiphany! Talking the subway home that night, I knew that I had never witnessed anybody perform that good in person before. Having seen WBC champion Alfredo Escalera fight on more than one occasion, I knew should the pair meet, Everett would prevail in a fight that would be about as close as the 2004 World Series.
TOP RATED CONTENDER GETS WBC TITLE SHOT!
The match was made in Philadelphia eleven months after the Lunny trouncing. Escalera entered the ring at 36-7-1, with seven defenses, the last being against the connected Lunny who got a title shot before Everett. After 15 rounds of Tyrone pitching and Escalera catching, a Split Decision was awarded to the battered Puerto Rican. Winning 13 of 15 rounds on most cards, Tyrone was done in by a Philly Judge named Lou Tress. With the Mexican Referee tabbing Tyrone the winner, that card was canceled out by a Puerto Rican Judge who towed the National line for Alfredo!
BLINKY PALERMO & BILL DALY INVOLVED HERE!
Tress, who received $1500 for his criminal card would never work a fight again and died a few years later. Sources tell me that Mob guys Blinky Palermo, Bill Daly, with some involvement by Commission guy Zack Clayton, that they got to Lou Tress through his brother who worked in a Puerto Rican Casino. Of all the fights that can be considered “Heists,” this match for the WBC 130 lb. trinket ranks somewhere in the top three when it comes to the worst decisions ever rendered in boxing history!
WOULD LIFE/DEATH BE THE SAME SANS THE WBC HEIST?
Six months later, Tyrone Everett was dead as in doornail! Police reports have Everett’s girlfriend catching the uncrowned World champion in a compromising position with another man! Beyond maligned, she shot Tyrone in the head once with a handgun from point-blank range killing him instantly. When the time came to throw the dirt on Tyrone Everett’s casket, he was only 24 years old with a professional record of 36-1* and 20 knockouts! Although he hung with a rough crowd, might not Tyrone’s life ended differently had he been given the Decision some six months earlier in a boxing ring?
SPEAKING OF THE WBC…AND SULAIMAN’S “CRYING WOLF!”
How come at every Convention in the WBC’s history, President Jose Sulaiman says he is retiring, that he’s not running for reelection, and yet he still sits high upon his heavily mortgaged throne for better than 30 years. Everybody I know worth a salt that was in the WBC hierarchy with backbone is now out! Canadian Mario Latraverse, when the retired Cop was shown the door, I knew right then and there that Jose Sulaiman never intended to right the WBC. You see, you can’t walk a straight line if you’re wearing crooked shoes!
SAN ANTONIO LAWYER KO’S WHARTON IN COURT!
Yesterday in Cliff Rold’s piece here at www.RingTalk.com, we broke the story that U.S. Federal Marshals had pounced on Kostya Tszyu’s Promoter Vlad Wharton recently with a “Court Order” withholding $150,000 U.S. from any earnings Wharton’s company was receiving from Showtime. According to sources, after the Kostya-Jesse James Leija fight, Wharton came into the dressing room with some B.S. story that he couldn’t pay Leija in full. Needless to say, Leija spent almost two years trying to collect the remainder of his purse before San Antonio Attorney Michael Miller KO’d Wharton who simply stopped taking Leija’s phone calls after a month!
KOSTYA “PUNKS OUT” AMERICAN MEDIA
In what was quite obvious to me a “Planned” move to disrespect the contingent of American Press in Arizona for the Kostya Tszyu-Sharmba Mitchell fight, Tszyu told everybody that wasn’t Australian that he would be right back to give them interviews, this after leaving the dais. After getting myself and a Cameraman in this adjacent room, Kostya was giving the Australian Media ample time. When he was done, I approached and was told by a Wharton minion who sneered and said, “He ain’t talking to American Media. This is for Australian reporters only.” Pushing Tszyu into an elevator, there would be no return to the talk with Americans.
AN INDICTMENT OF WHARTON THE PROMOTER!
First Vlad the Promoter can’t sell any tickets. Then he puts forth a weak underbelly that had but one fight of note in WBO 122 lb. guy Joan Guzman & Joe Morales in a non-title dime. And then, he stiffs the entire U.S. Media. While I flew into Phoenix from relatively close San Francisco, the N.Y. Daily News’ Tim Smith, and USA Today’s Dan Rafael, they traveled all the way from the east coast! HBO’s Larry Merchant called the move by Wharton’s people “Stupid,” while I called it another six-letter word! And for those Web guys that were naively waiting for Kostya to come back, welcome to the world of boxing!
“WONDERFUL WANDA” DECLINES INVITE TO HANG!
For close to three decades, Wanda Tipton was somehow involved in the Public Relations end of Las Vegas boxing. With promoter Gary Shaw’s World jr. middleweight showdown between Winky Wright & Shane Mosley a fortnight away, I invited Wanda and a friend to come on down and see some old friends at the Mandalay Bay on November 20 like Andy Olsen and his crew at Magna Media, myself, independent P.R. wiz Jim “Catfish” Hunter, a host of others that would love to see her! Anyway, she declined! In closing, I knew I shouldn’t have dropped Jim Hunter’s name! (LOL!)
CAN YOU GO, & HAVE YOU SEEN “A ROUND WITH PEDRO?”
Having watched other people who thought they could fight do Videos on boxing, I honestly feel they can’t hold a candle to what I’m doing here at www.RingTalk.com The initial presentation of “A Round With Pedro” dealt primarily with my attempt to destroy the “Low Blow Myth.” After viewing this piece, I’m sure you’ll look at guys like Johnny Louise (Ruiz) rolling around on the deck as if he’d been castrated in a different light. The second installment of “A Round With Pedro” is all about assuming a correct stance while boxing. Very important to see how your twisting feet and hips combine to make a punch all the more powerful! Here’s the link to the “Video Archives” hit it now http://www.ringtalk.com/video.asp
CHECK OUT THE “MOST POPULAR ARTICLE” SECTION
By returning to the “Main” page here at www.RingTalk.com, you’ll be able to view the “Most Popular Articles,” the “Historical Boxing Month,” the “Schedule, Odds, & Predictions” page which will soon be updated for November, previous articles, archived radio shows and “Live” broadcasts too! Hit this link www.RingTalk.com and please tell a friend!
Pedro Fernandez
Note: Mr. Fernandez is NOT your average boxing writer! A four-time San Francisco Golden Gloves champion, and formerly a Cop with the San Francisco Police Dept., few people have the unique combination of having a boxing background in addition to being a schooled Journalist. He can be reached with your comments at Pedro@RingTalk.com