Bill Cayton

Bill Cayton, a boxing manager with one of the world’s largest collections of vintage fight films, died on Oct. 4 from lung cancer. He was 85.
Born in New York City, Cayton earned a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Maryland. His first job was as a technical writer for DuPont, but by 1945, he had built his own advertising agency.
Outside of work, Cayton’s passion was boxing. He combined this interest with his day job by helping Chesebrough Manufacturing Co. advertise its Vaseline Brand Hair Tonic on television. At the time, ad agencies produced their own programs, so Cayton acquired the rights to air boxing matches. “The Greatest Fights of the Century,” sponsored by Chesebrough, generated some of network television’s highest ratings.
Cayton also spent 50 years collecting fight films. By the time he sold the film and tape library to Disney/ESPN in 1998, he had amassed more than 1,500 reels, including the famous 1936 bout between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling at Yankee Stadium and the 15-round fight in 1949 when Sugar Ray Robinson successfully defended his welterweight title from Kid Gavilan.
In the 1970s, Cayton began managing fighters. He worked with Tommy Morrison, Vinny Pazienza, Jeremy Williams, Michael Grant, Wilfred Benitez, and Edwin Rosario. He and Jim Jacobs co-managed boxer Mike Tyson to a heavyweight championship in 1986. Two years later, Tyson fired his managers so he could join with Don King.
Cayton was named Manager of the Year 14 times in his career.