If Gary Mason was around today...

[deadpan]

...would he be our best HW?

I dug out a copy of his Lewis fight and was surprised at how competitive he was. I know the knock against him was that his handspeed was slower than a sloth tied to a shopping trolley but he really let his hands go in this fight and he had a more than decent dig.

How do you reckon he'd compare against Harrison, Sprott, Williams and Skelton?

[KO Artist]

...would he be our best HW?

I dug out a copy of his Lewis fight and was surprised at how competitive he was. I know the knock against him was that his handspeed was slower than a sloth tied to a shopping trolley but he really let his hands go in this fight and he had a more than decent dig.

How do you reckon he'd compare against Harrison, Sprott, Williams and Skelton?

He would KO all of em

[Taki...]

Mason was unlucky to have been knocking around in the era of Lewis, Bowe, Tyson and Holyfield. He'd certainly be a genuine top 5 contender in this day and age. Mind you he'd probably be fighting Michael Sprott with the promise of a 'title shot' for the winner blowing in breeze...

[stujones]

Mason was unlucky to have been knocking around in the era of Lewis, Bowe, Tyson and Holyfield. He'd certainly be a genuine top 5 contender in this day and age. Mind you he'd probably be fighting Michael Sprott with the promise of a 'title shot' for the winner blowing in breeze...

Not sure why Mason was unlucky to be around that era - he only fought one of them.

Mason had a padded record and his world rating was inflated considering the fighters he fought. I would favour him over Harrison, Sprott, Skelton and Williams (mark 2007) but not by a considerable margin cause he only fought one real top notch fighter and he was very green.

[Taki...]

Mason was unlucky to have been knocking around in the era of Lewis, Bowe, Tyson and Holyfield. He'd certainly be a genuine top 5 contender in this day and age. Mind you he'd probably be fighting Michael Sprott with the promise of a 'title shot' for the winner blowing in breeze...

Not sure why Mason was unlucky to be around that era - he only fought one of them.

Mason had a padded record and his world rating was inflated considering the fighters he fought. I would favour him over Harrison, Sprott, Skelton and Williams (mark 2007) but not by a considerable margin cause he only fought one real top notch fighter and he was very green.

He only fought one because he would've lost to all four. I remember him saying something like 'I have the style to beat Tyson'. I always thought he was just too slow. These days I think those charting his career course would've been a little bolder, simply because the major titles are split and 50% of them belong to men Mason would've been favoured to beat (Briggs and Maskaev).

[Goz]

My instant reaction was like that of KO artist, he would knock them all out. But then Stu makes some good points too.

Truth is probably somewhere in between. He would be British No 1 without a doubt but Skelton, Williams and Sprott might take him a bit closer that we think.

[glittermonkey]

...would he be our best HW?

I dug out a copy of his Lewis fight and was surprised at how competitive he was. I know the knock against him was that his handspeed was slower than a sloth tied to a shopping trolley but he really let his hands go in this fight and he had a more than decent dig.

How do you reckon he'd compare against Harrison, Sprott, Williams and Skelton?

Let me guess, you watched the clip about Lewis' chin, and saw that Mason tagged him a couple of times? I did the same thing but chose Briggs, Mercer, Tucker, and Grant for my viewing.

For me Mason would have been given lots of problems by a swarmer like Skelton, but I'm confident that he'd have had a much better time against both Sprott and Harrison. With Williams, as ever, it depends strongly on which one turns up. I guess I'd pick Mason to come out on top in a round-robin involving the other four, but maybe with a 3-1 record.

[deadpan]

I saw the lewis clips which prompted me to watch my video copy of the fight.

I remember taping it because it clashed with Vic Reeves Big Night Out.

Insert 'Man With The Stick' quote here.....

[Old bones Ian]

Mason was strong and had a good chin, and when he did put his punches together he looked good, he could finish a fight pretty good.
but he could also labour before finding the finishing punches, when he fought guys like Ratliff, he would follow then round the ring pawing with his jab and throwing long slow right hands, once he landed he got the job done, but it was hard watching sometimes.
His good showing were against Jess Harding , who he just blew away, i think Jess had got under Garys skin with some of his pre fight statements.
If he was around today he'd still be hovering on the fringes, he wouldn't b a top 5 heavy.

He would definatly struggled against the east europeon styles, they would be to schooled and busy for him.
Remember they wern't pro when he was around, and they would have liked his slow rumbling style.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

I read this and either your memory bank is going or mine is.
This is the same Gary Mason who was out of puff getting boxing
lessons off Tyrell Biggs and Alfonzo Ratliff (With Biggs sticking his
chin out before getting tagged and KO'd one more round would have
finished Mason off because he was shagged!) and plodded after the
likes of Everett 'Big Foot' Martin winning a 10 rounds bore points win.

Gary Mason was OK, he could bang but I don't think he would have
beaten Danny Williams or Skelton, I'm no fan of Williams either but it
would have been a really bad day at the office if he'd hd lost to Mason.

Mason missed out at becoming European heavyweight champion when
he was schduled to fight Toyi Castro in Madrid for the vacant title and Mason got injured I think. Then the fight was reschduled for Wembley
and Castro got sent to jail! I forgot who fought for the vacant title
(it will have been aroun 1988-89) but if Mason would have went ahead he would have KO'd Castro early and becom champion.