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Gary Mason Dies


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From BBC Sport......

 

Former British boxing champion Gary Mason has died in a cycling crash in south London.

 

Mason, 48, was on his bicycle in Sandy Lane South, Wallington, on Thursday morning when he was involved in a collision with a van.

 

The retired fighter was pronounced dead at the scene.

 

A man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving and bailed until March pending further inquiries.

 

The 43-year-old, who was driving a white Vauxhall "combi" van, had stopped at the scene.

 

Mason fought 38 times as a professional between 1984 and 1994, with 37 wins.

 

His only defeat was against future world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.

 

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Officers were alerted at about 6.15am yesterday to a van in collision with a bicycle on Sandy Lane South, near the junction with Woodcote Road, Wallington.

 

"The cyclist, aged 48 years, was pronounced dead at the scene."

 

A post-mortem examination will be held at St Helier Hospital mortuary and an inquest will be opened at Croydon Coroner's Court.

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Thats very sad.

 

I always liked Gary Mason the fighter and he was good as an analyst on Sky TV.

 

Tough fighter and a big puncher. Pity the eye problems shortened his career.

 

Terry Lawless and George Francis knew how to mold Heavyweights, they had Frank Bruno, Horace Notice and Gary Mason all training together and moving up the ranks.

 

More from the BBC:

 

He fought 38 times as a professional between 1984 and 1994, with 37 wins.

 

His only defeat was against future world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis at Wembley Arena.

 

Mason was British champion from January 1989 to March 1991 when he lost to Lewis.

 

He led a varied life after his boxing career, with a spell as a pundit for Sky Sports and a brief venture with rugby league side London Broncos.

 

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Frank Bruno said through his agent: "I'm very sorry about his death, particularly the circumstances of how it happened.

 

"Both of us were plying our trade at an early age and I had a lot of respect for the guy."

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http://www.virginmedia.com/images/lewis-mason.jpg

 

http://static.boxrec.com/wiki/8/81/Gary_Mason.jpg

 

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/img/galleries/gangsters/gangST_245x350.jpg

 

http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/93552992.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D0DDB2BEC667CBCB45EAB95F70B40F1328E1B36090B1B27AA4

 

http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/93553407.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF878921CC759DF4EBAC47D008BA6D7988AAE005DF83589DEDA1F5B0D331D77C3267AF74

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I remember Gary, saw him fight in London against Ratcliff in the same evening with Kaylor and Watson, i do not remember the year, i should look, but I remember perfectly the day, was a 3 February my wife's birthday...

He was one of the boxers of my generation, we are of the same year of birth and it is terrible to die so young...

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I've only seen his fight with Lennox Lewis.He seemed a little outmatched in there,but even with his right eye completely closed,he made it as competitive as he could manage and never stopped trying.Showed alot of courage and a very good chin against an emerging world contender and future heavyweight great.

 

 

 

My condolences to his family and friends.

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RIP Gary Mason.

 

I remember being on an escalator in Tooting Broadway tube station, returning home, after early evening drinks sometime in the late 90's. I turned to my right and on the other 'up' escalator was someone who I recognised, but who's name I could not recall. We made eye contact and then I realised it was Mason. A combination of excitement and alcohol made me shout 'Gary' and reach my hand accross. To be fair to him he smiled and shook it, though I think he was a little taken back by my enthusiasm!

 

His fight with Lewis was a real brutal contest and ranks up there as a classic dometic bout. I've always wondered what would have happened had he fought Bruno. It was the fight that everyone wanted and would have been another good match. Based on the Lewis fight, Mason could take a punch, so it would have been a tough night for Big Frank.

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