January 07, 2011 / 19:19 IST
Former British heavyweight boxing champion Gary Mason, who once fought Lennox Lewis for the European title, has died in a cycling accident at the age of 48.
"It's a terrible shock. He was a very good champion in the era when we had Frank Bruno and Lennox Lewis," British Boxing Board of Control general secretary Robert Smith told Reuters on Friday."He was a huge puncher and a very nice man."Media reports said Mason, who became British heavyweight champion in 1989 and fought 38 times in a 10-year professional career, was killed in a collision with a van in South London on Thursday.His only defeat came in a European title bout against future world champion Lennox Lewis in 1991.A man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving and bailed pending further enquiries. Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
