The former British boxing champion Gary Mason has been killed while cycling in south London.

Mason, 48, was riding in Wallington yesterday morning when he was in collision with a Vauxhall Combo van driven by a 43-year-old man.

The retired boxer was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident. The van driver was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving and has been bailed until March.

As a fighter Mason had a near-perfect record, suffering only one defeat in 38 professional fights between 1984 and 1994. His sole loss was to Lennox Lewis who went on to become the heavyweight world champion.

One fan of Mason’s was Bradley Wiggins. He tweeted: "Sad news former boxer Gary Mason dies while cycling in London, fortunate enough to have met Gary when I was a kid, absolute inspiration RIP!"