2011-01-06 - Rider Down/Fatality, Former British boxing champion - Gary Mason

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12135980

Sad news.

Just heard this on wireless, very sad.

What a tragic waste.

This is very sad news indeed..

What a superb sportsman, Boxing to Rugby League... RIP

Rip

RIP Gary Mason, this really is terrible news.

Tragic.

Horrible. RIP big man.

i was just about to post this.
can't believe another one...
RIP. what a dude.

very sad news RIP Sir

Just going about his day, very sad.

Dark stufff.

RIP

So sad and so angry. Such a nice guy and a fellow cyclist. RIP.

Real Shame,

RIP big fella.

What a sad loss of a realy nice and tallented fellow .I was so shocked when i heard this on the news.
RIP big man.

RIP.

I sincerely hope that reckless driving is not the cause of this:

'Shit happens, mate...',
'No, it doesn't, it's because you couldn't be arsed to drive properly!!!!!!!'

A tragedy. RIP

Oh God, that's terrible. That street looks like a dreadful rat-run, with ridiculous street markings. RIP.

Gary Mason was not a sport cyclist, commuter or politically into it, but he rode a bike to get around simply and easily, and to help keep his big frame at least reasonably fit. As good a reason as any.

I can remember when Gary Mason was an active boxer, and I hope none of you mind that I've pasted here a few words I wrote about him to send to various friends who hadn't heard the sad news. It seemed to me a bit better than getting into a strop yet again about the carelessness and selfishness of some drivers, car domination of the roads, our poor cycling facilities compared with other Northern European countries, blah blah.

Remember Gary Mason

On Thursday Jan 6th, ex-boxer and ex-British Heavyweight champion Gary Mason got squashed on the street by one of those little Vauxhall Combo vans the white van guys like. He was riding a bike along the road in Wallington, Croydon. Don't be fooled by news reports that 'he was in collision with a van', the driver hit him, and he died at the scene. The van driver was arrested on the spot and charged with causing death by careless driving, and later bailed.

Gary was a top South London boy and a nice guy, but under-rated as a boxer. Experts describe him as a solidly-built 'banger' with two knockout hands, rather than a stylist, and he was respected for his bravery and heart. He was able to take it as well as hand it out. He was the British Heavyweight champ for a few years, a clean and good technical fighter. Not too exciting until his jab had done the business for a round or two. He had heavy hands and you could depend on him to knock mothas out. You can't ask much more of a boxer. He often finished with a one-two left-hook, right-cross combination that his opponent saw coming, but couldn't do anything about, as he was usually so close he was practically inside their shorts. He certainly would have hammered Frank Bruno to the canvas - which is why Terry Lawless made sure they never fought. No arguments from Big Frank either. He and Gary were stablemates and sparred regularly. He knew exactly what would have happened, and his career wouldn't have
profited.

Gary Mason only ever lost one fight in his pro career, a TKO when he challenged Lennox Lewis for the European heavyweight title. He was severely hampered by repeated eye problems, before this fight and during it. Even then, Lewis complained that it was the hardest fight he had had so far. Gary Mason moved to the US and fought twice more after this, winning handily before retiring in 1994, due to a troublesome detached retina in his right eye.

After retirement he tried promoting for a while and also briefly played professional rugby. He was also a popular and knowledgeable boxing pundit for Sky Sports, but he dropped an f-bomb live on air, and lost the gig. His real problem after his career was that he was an open, friendly guy, who made some dodgy mates who really rinsed his wallet out, and left him with nothing after all his hard work. At one low point he was homeless, jobless and broke.

And he did do some hard work. He beat several decent Americans in the ring, including Tyrell Biggs. Mason finished with a record of 37-1, 34 by KO! Gary Mason wasn't glamorous, and he never fought for the world title. He did his job, and people should remember that he did it well. I certainly will.

Ola Onatade
7/1/2010

Gary Mason's era here:
http://fightfranchise.com/gary_mason.html

1 Attachment

RIP what a sad loss

That junction looks horrible, especially in the dark. Hopefully the coroner will tell them to redesign it

Mason finished with a record of 37-1, 34 by KO![URL="http://fightfranchise.com/gary_mason.html"][/URL]

awesome, and then went to play pro rugby, what a guy! RIP

nice writing ola.

really sorry to hear about gary's death.

thought and prayers to friends and family.

as always i will write to my mp re road safety etc. i urge others to do the same.

regards.

[edit=Velocio]Distasteful shifting of blame removed from thread. The debate is allowed to be had, but there are times and places and this was neither. If people want to debate the virtues of road safety measures please do so on a thread that discusses that topic in general rather than in a memorial thread immediately after the event.[/edit]

RIP Gary Mason sad sad loss.

@ JamesB - don't take this the wrong way but I don't think an RIP thread is the place to have this particular debate - lights, viz-vests, helmets, headphones, etc - there's plenty of room on the forum to talk about this without turning a respectful display of grief into an argument.
Thanks.

I'm sorry to hear about this death, always painful.