Gary Mason killed in road accident

[Mooresy]

RIP Gary, God bless x

[He's Gone Jim!]

R.I.P Gary.

[McCannW14]

I heard this last night and was hoping it was incorrect. This is dreadful.

Gary was a terrific fighter and a genuine nice bloke.

Intelligent and articulate he always told it the way it was as an excellent pundit before the days of corporate, cheerleading, politically correct yes men who dominate boxing broadcasting today.

A very nice man. Rest In Peace Gary Mason.

[McCannW14]

''we needed to know whether herbie hide could take a punch, and we saw tonight what happened when he did take a punch.''

i can't do the man's delivery justice on here but his TV appearance for hide v vitali was absolutely brilliant. RIP Gary

He was a brilliant pundit. No bullshit with Mason.

Once when Paul dempsey was talking about a British fighter getting a top ten ranking with the WBC, WBA, WBO etc , you know one of those plastic tin pot organisations, anyway Mason interjects and says: "Saddam Hussein is going to give himself up for war crimes, but on one condition.................. That the WBO appoint the judges".

He said that live on SKY, absolute classic.

RIP Big Man.

[hurlock]

had the privelidge of meeting gary a few times, he was allway's laughing & joking & had time for anyone.

very sad loss, gary was a great character R.I.P

[boxingchat]

With all the bad luck he had and things he tried that went wrong he never stopped smiling and laughing. I admired that. A good bloke to be around and enjoyed his life.

How ironic that he lost his lucrative (and he was a good pundit) on Sky for using the F-Word on air. How times have changed in TV land.

Rest in peace Gary and heaven will be a brighter place with your humour and big laugh.

God Bless.

[dr_devious]

RIP champ

[Wake up call]

RIP

[liamlion]

What an absolute waste of a life. Very sad news indeed.

[Slapsie Maxie]

R.I.P. Champ

[stujones]

A fitting tribute, I learned some things there.

Seemed like he loved life and lived a very full one.

A fight with Bruno would have been something that should have been made. Although, I don't think I am harsh in saying he wasn't the greatest British Heavyweight champion ever its amazing to think that Skelton, Williams and Harrison all got title fights and he never did.

I do remember him always smiling when on TV. I'll be honest in that at the time I didn't like that cause I thought he wasn't always taking anything seriously. However, reading Ian's report makes me admire that quality so much and, yes, I think he has muched missed on the Sky panel. Sky always seemed to like to have a "big guy" doing the punditary - and Derek Williams and Julius Francis were not half as good as Gary.

He was the betting favourite against Lewis, and Lewis was never lightly regarded. So there was some geniune respect for his ability amongst the trade.

[dookus]

RIP champ

[dondada]

''we needed to know whether herbie hide could take a punch, and we saw tonight what happened when he did take a punch.''

i can't do the man's delivery justice on here but his TV appearance for hide v vitali was absolutely brilliant. RIP Gary

He was a brilliant pundit. No bullshit with Mason.

Once when Paul dempsey was talking about a British fighter getting a top ten ranking with the WBC, WBA, WBO etc , you know one of those plastic tin pot organisations, anyway Mason interjects and says: "Saddam Hussein is going to give himself up for war crimes, but on one condition.................. That the WBO appoint the judges".

He said that live on SKY, absolute classic.

RIP Big Man.

Ha ha, didn't know that one - top drawer, brilliant

[nobby_nobbins]

I am totally horrified by this news. Mason was a lovely man with a fabulous sense of humour - a kind of enormous, black Norman Wisdom. I always felt he was better than Bruno and would have gone one better if he'd been given a shot against Tyson. He got so close to having it all but ended up with nothing.

I had the great privilege of knowing him and can't believe I won't see his beaming face again.

[palooka]

I am totally horrified by this news. Mason was a lovely man with a fabulous sense of humour - a kind of enormous, black Norman Wisdom. I always felt he was better than Bruno and would have gone one better if he'd been given a shot against Tyson. He got so close to having it all but ended up with nothing.

I had the great privilege of knowing him and can't believe I won't see his beaming face again.

that is a lovely tribute; Gary Mason must have been a real character and man to have so many think so much of him.

[stujones]

My only meeting of Gary was when he played for an Arsenal Celebrities team in a charity match against a tiny, defunct football side called Letterson.

Letterson, a small village about 4 miles from me, were no longer in existance in the adult leagues of Pembrokeshire - but after one of their ex players son tragically died whilst playing football (a very similar death to Terry Yorath's son) a charity football match was arranged in his memory, and Letterson took on an Arsenal XV in Haverfordwest.

Mason was one of the star attractions, as was Terry Marsh. Both were real good sports, Marsh was actually laughing at the "you cannot shoot straight" from the crowd. And Mason, who was pretty rubbish at football, was having a good laugh with his opposite number who looked tiny man marking him. Mason was joking that he could play dirty and get physical with his tiny marker - cause the little guy kept beating him to the ball.

Mason stayed behind the longest for Autographs and smiled throughout the day.

I will try and dig up the old photo's from that match and scan them on this site.

[black panther]

R.I.P Gary Mason. My thoughts go out to your family and loved ones.

[rockyrandall2]

RIP Gary......enjoyed following your career, a lovely man and a credit to boxing.

[ERIC GUY]

[keithmoonhangover]

RIP: See you on the other side Big fella - a true gentleman.

I met Gary in a nightclub in Sunderland, just after he left Sky for not wearing a tie. He was in good spirits and was a really nice and humble guy. Laughing and joking all night.

[Deno1986]

RIP Gary.

His fight against James Tillis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFrjI0hSQn8

[bigjack]

A good fighter,top commentator and a nice fella too,i always wondered what would have happened to him if he hadn't met lewis,RIP champ,my thoughts go out to his family.

[J]

Really shocking news this, i grew up watching Mason fight and always remember watching him fight on BBC's Sportsnight (yes there was boxing on the beeb back in the day). I always thought he achived more than he should of which is credit to the man who never stopped trying during and after his boxing Career.
RIP

x2 rip ...v.sad. :(

[Final round]

Terrible news, RIP

[finchy36]

RIP Gary. He was a top bloke in more ways than one. At the fateful Eubank v Watson fight my mate was beside himself when his car was clamped and he didn't have the money to release it and he needed it for work the next day. Gary paid up and left his details. My mate got home and then paid Gary back with a big thank you. How many people would do that? An angel back in heaven me thinks.

Gary Mason = Top Fighter & Top Bloke