Cam Shaw: Boxing champion's shocking death on holidays in Australia

The boxing world is mourning the tragic death of 25-year-old British fighter Cam Shaw, who died while snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.

Shaw was on holiday in Cairns with his girlfriend at the time of his death on Monday.

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"We don't know exactly what has happened, but we know that Cam has drowned and the investigation is still ongoing," Shaw's father Rod told the York Press.

"He was a strong swimmer - I taught him to swim at Water World in York when he was aged two and a half and he reached up to nine out of a possible eleven levels."

Shaw's father said his son had planned to meet up with friends in Australia.

"He was a fit lad. He was a professional boxer and fought four fights. He won them all, but then Covid struck and he had to put it to one side," said Rod.

"He went on to become a fully qualified ski instructor in Switzerland and he had just spent a season in New Zealand and he wanted to see one of the seven wonders of the world - the Great Barrier Reef.

"Cam excelled at everything he did and we didn't realise just how popular he was until now. We have been blown away.

"We just knew he was a gregarious, helpful and convivial guy - he threw his all into everything he did."

Cam Shaw's death deemed 'non-suspicious'

A spokesperson for Queensland Police said: "Investigations are underway into the circumstances surrounding his death, however, it is believed non-suspicious.

"Queensland Police will prepare a report for the coroner after the body of a man was located at a reef off Cairns at about midday on Monday."

A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: “We are providing consular support to the family of a British man who has died in Australia.”

Shaw won the Amateur Boxing Association's Elite 60kg title in 2018, and a gold medal at the Hivdovre Box Cup in Denmark in 2017.

He also performed in the Theatre Royal pantomime in York and worked as a production engineering assistant at Portakabin before training as a ski instructor.

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