BoxRec

How good was this British heavyweight? His only loss was to Lennox Lewis but how would he have done against some of the other early 90's fighters such as Carl Williams, Herbie Hide, Bruno, Bonecrusher Smith, Pinklon thomas?

I always liked Gary Mason and felt he was underrated then and people tend to forget about him. Showed huge heart fighting back against Lewis. Seem to remember he took a huge, hurtful shot to the eye (might have even detached his bloody retina), screwed his face up in pain, thought for a second about quitting and came tearing back.

Look at his record - he beat some good American trialhorses and would have held his own against most of the names you mentioned. To have only one defeat on your record, and for that to be against Lewis, is excellent.

Mason's record looks even better when you know the fight with Lewis was stopped because of his swollen eye, with Mason ( I believe) even on two cards and slightly ahead on the other at the time. Having said that, Lewis was very much the better fighter that night and would have won the fight without Mason's injury.

I always had a soft spot for Gary Mason, he was a big, strong, determined and intelligent Heavyweight with good power. He showed a lot of heart in his lose to an up and comming Lennox Lewis and was never off his feet as a professional. I also thought he had underated defencive skills as well. His major flaw though was slow handspeed.

I understand that his eye problems may have started around the time he fought Mark Willis and Everet Martin. Maybe this is one of the reasons he took the Lewis fight? Prehaps he thought his ring days were numbered and a victory over Lewis would push him into (or nearer) a World Title shot.

After Mason lost to Lewis it was revealed he had a detached retina. A few years later he made a two fight, low key, comback in the USA over very modest opposition. I understand that Mason packed it in for good because he felt "He just didn't have it, anymore".

In my opinion Mason would have been a top British Heavyweight in any era.

He was very good at commentating also.
One of the few ex-boxers I enjoyed doing that particular job.

tonyevs wrote:He was very good at commentating also.
One of the few ex-boxers I enjoyed doing that particular job.

Very true, apart from his Scott Welch obsession, Mason was one of the best pundits SKY have had IMO, very good at 'reading' up coming fights.

But then came the F word. (which I missed).

bollocks wrote:Is he still commentating?

Sadly no, he let the F word slip out once on SKY and was never asked back.

If Bravo are serious about doing live Boxing coverage maybe they should give Mason a call?

I think he is a security guard now.

tonyevs wrote:He was very good at commentating also.
One of the few ex-boxers I enjoyed doing that particular job.

I remember after about twenty seconds of Holyfield-Douglas he said Douglas was shot. Easy spot in hindsight but lightning at the time!

bollocks wrote: Good one Gary (hope he gets back into it)

Well known former boxers working in the security industry can be a problem. There's always someone wanting to test themselves against a former fighter

I think he works at a hospital, I may be wrong though. I wish him well, always came across as a nice bloke.

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:

tonyevs wrote:He was very good at commentating also.
One of the few ex-boxers I enjoyed doing that particular job.

I remember after about twenty seconds of Holyfield-Douglas he said Douglas was shot. Easy spot in hindsight but lightning at the time!

Hadn't at that point Mason just finished a short period of training with the Duvas? I seem to recall him saying that they had helped him impove his jab.

Apparently many years ago Aussie tough man and former Champion Jeff Fenech KO'd a 250lbs security man in Las Vegas.

Not bad going for a then Super-Bantamweight with bad hands.

bollocks wrote:

KOJOE90 wrote:Apparently many years ago Aussie tough man and former Champion Jeff Fenech KO'd a 250lbs security man in Las Vegas.

Not bad going for a then Super-Bantamweight with bad hands.

True. Would have loved to have seen that one. Some guy in a US casino leant over and slapped him across the face for whatever reason (yet another KO to Fenech) He also belted a Greek greengrocer in Sydney over another unrelated matter

Fenechs trainer once said that Fenech was the most intimidating man he had ever met.