THE NICEST, & ONE OF THE SMARTEST MEN IN BOXING!
By Brian Vernellis
Shreveport, LA-The man who was one of the masterminds behind the biggest upset in boxing history doesnt dress the role of a man of his stature. Boxing features larger-than-life characters whose egos are often as loud and outrageous as their wardrobes. Peyton Sher, 81, shuffles into the cigar bar of Jack Binions Steakhouse inside Horseshoe Casino, wearing tennis shoes, gray slacks and a blue collared shirt, blending into the gaggle of retirees with nothing particularly singular about him. Until you notice his right hand., Its a monstrous championship ring from fighter Tim Austin, who fights in tonights Showdown at the Riverdome, as gratitude for Shers guidance in helping him win the IBF Bantamweight title eight years ago. The ring is the size of Sputnik. Sher is the best in the business at what he does. He is a boxing matchmaker and has been involved with the sport for more than 60 years.
He leans back in a leather sofa and within a few minutes the stories come rolling out and his eyes glow. He is as charming as your grandfather except these are no tall tales.
There are his days as a paratrooper, his days as a student at the University of Minnesota, his relationship with Don King or his good friend Muhammad Ali. The stories meld into tangents about Terrell Owens or 1940 Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon.
What is evident is his love for boxing. He has a knack for sizing up talent and a mind for the jobs complexities.
“You have to find out if (a boxer) has any discipline,” Sher said. “Forget about the talent because a lot of the fighters today dont have the talent. Theyre in it because they have a big mouth. Its one sport where if you dont have the drive and discipline, youre not going anywhere. You get them in the gym and see if he does the necessary things.”
His own amateur boxing career began in 1939, but after his stint in the military, he gravitated toward the sports organizational side. In 60-plus years, hes organized and been part of more than 300 world championship fights, none more famous than his involvement with Buster Douglas upsetting Mike Tyson for the undisputed heavyweight championship in Japan in 1990.
Douglas was a 42-to-1 long shot against Tyson who was 37-0 entering the match. Sher served as an adviser and mentor to Douglas and predicted great things of his fighter.
“Buster could have been a fantastic fighter, but he didnt have the discipline,” Sher said. “He could punch, he could box. I told everybody that we were not only going to win, but knock (Tyson) out. I told Don King that.”
A New York boxing columnist called him, “a senile old man.” Sher was vindicated when Douglas leveled Tyson in the 10th round for the heavyweight crown and stunning the sports world.
Its regarded as one of the biggest upsets in sports history. The columnist later printed a retraction. When promoter Dana Pitcher was compiling his stable of inside men and consultants, he called King for guidance and Shers name was at the top of the list. Pitcher and Sher concentrated their efforts for tonights stacked card at Horseshoe Casino.
In his 32 years of working as Kings advisor and matchmaker, Shers helped coordinate fights all over the world usually with HBO, Showtime or ESPN broadcasting the events.
His influence on boxing is extraordinary. Hes helped advance the careers of Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes and Julio Caesar Chavez, but his affinity and affection for Ali is evident.
Het like it when they have him at an event and theyre using him,” Sher said. “Theyre paying him, but if you saw the man when he was vibrant, so athletic, so strong and now.
His hand trembles as he simulates the effects of Parkinsons syndrome on the 63-year-old Ali. Shers mind shifts to a better memory of Ali, one from his legendary fight against George Foreman in Zaire 1974s Rumble in the Jungle.
The two boxers joined a dinner party of Zaires dignitaries. Servers presented the entrees, one of which was a monkey on a platter. One knife slice and the monkeys head was split open, revealing its brain. “You should have seen the look on Foremans face,” Sher said.
Its one memory of hundreds for a man whos one of the sports greatest ambassadors.
“Hes the most knowledgeable guy in boxing today,” Pitcher said. “When you want to be the best, youve got to be with the best and hes the best there is out there.”
Brian Vernellis
Shreveport News
November 11, 2005