Peyton Sher

Name: Peyton Sher
Hometown: Leawood, Kansas, USA
Birthplace: Duluth, Minnesota, USA
Died: 2014-08-17 (Age:90)
Matchmaker: Record
Promoter: Record

Peyton Sher, international boxing matchmaker and promoter, of Leawood, Kan., passed away peacefully Sunday, August 17, 2014, at the Kansas City Hospice House.

Graduating high school at 16, he attended junior college before enlisting in the U.S. Army Paratroopers in 1943. Following his discharge in 1946, he finished his studies at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1948 with a business degree. After living in Duluth, Minn., and Florida, he moved to Kansas City, joining his brothers, Abbott and Sylvester and their families. Working in the insurance industry, he traveled regularly, including stops in Great Bend, Kan., where he met his wife, Carole, the love of his life. Married in 1973, they had a second ceremony at Kehilath Israel Synagogue in 1974, after Carole converted to Judaism, and enjoyed a long, loving and happy marriage.

Peyton had a lifelong love of boxing, including a short professional career when fought under the name Bobby Regan. He explained his pseudonym saying, "At that time there weren't too many Jewish kids that were boxing anyplace." He didn't hide his religion, wearing a Star of David on one leg of his boxing shorts and a four-leaf clover on the other. He gave up the ring saying, "I got beat up pretty bad in one of my fights so I decided I was better off staying in school and getting a degree."

Peyton loved boxing too much to stay away and when local fighters began asking him to help them with their careers, he didn't hesitate, training them and setting up their matches. As he put on more and more shows, he began managing well-known local boxers including Tracy Morrison, Leroy Green, Jr., and Tony Chiaverini. He set up the debut professional fight of Tommy Morrison at Madison Square Garden.

Always working independently, Peyton made matches for numerous national and international promoters, including Aaron Bronstein of Israel, and Hedy Mohammad of Germany. He was associated with Don King Productions for 32 years, working with all the major boxers of that era including Mohammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Julio Cesar Chaves, Evander Holyfield, and James "Buster" Douglas. One of the highlights of Peyton's career was working the corner of Buster Douglas when he was a 42-1 underdog against heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, knocking Tyson out at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, a fight considered one of the biggest upsets in sports history.

He enjoyed a wonderful reputation in a rough and tumble profession and was known as a most honest and honorable gentleman respected and loved by all. Peyton was a Kansas City Chiefs season ticket holder for more than 50 years and enjoyed season tickets to the Kansas City Kings basketball team and other sports. Throughout his career, Peyton was honored many times, including being named Matchmaker of the Year by the International Boxing Federation in 1995 in Toronto, Canada. The City of Kansas City, Mo., declared Peyton Sher Day on Nov. 14, 1990. He belonged to many organizations including Masons and Shriners. He was a member of Kehilath Israel Synagogue for more than 45 years and a former member of its Board of Directors.