FORMER two-weight world champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi has died aged 72.
His sister, Wanda King, confirmed that he passed away on Friday, July 25, after battling dementia for five years.
The 5ft 6ins Baltimore-born fighter transformed his life after serving time in prison, becoming one of boxing’s greatest ever pressure fighters. Qawi was released from jail in 1978 after serving a five-year sentence for armed robbery in his hometown of Camden, New Jersey. During his incarceration at Rahway State Prison, Qawi, then 25, joined the prison’s boxing program.
His introduction to the professional ranks was rocky, managing just one win from his first three bouts in 1978. But by December 1981, he had claimed his first world title, stopping Matthew Saad Muhammad in the 10th round in Atlantic City to win the WBC light-heavyweight championship.
The result may have shocked some, but the fight was one-sided. Qawi, the underdog, handed Saad Muhammad a painful beating, ending the Philadelphian’s two-year reign as champion.
Entering his prime, Qawi – born Dwight Braxton – converted to Islam and legally changed his name. Nicknamed “The Camden Buzzsaw” by Camden Post reporter Phil Marder, he defeated Saad Muhammad a second time eight months later, finishing the rematch quicker with a sixth-round stoppage.
Speaking to Boxing News in April 2019, Qawi said:
“Back then, in 1982, everything was going right for me – I was unstoppable. During that time, I went to California and I ran the hills there, and let me tell you, those hills did something to me! I thank them hills! I was so disciplined then, hungry and unstoppable. If I’d stayed so disciplined, I’d have been at least a three or four-time champ – not just a two-time champ.”
Seven months after that second win over Saad Muhammad, Qawi faced Michael Spinks in a light-heavyweight unification fight. Having sparred countless rounds together, both men knew what to expect. Qawi rarely troubled the 1976 Olympic gold medallist, aside from a late rally in the 14th round, and Spinks won by unanimous decision.
“I had problems with my nose going into the Spinks fight – I had a damaged septum,” Qawi later recalled.
“I couldn’t fight my usual fight – going in on the attack. I had to wait and box. Even a touch to my nose hurt bad. I can’t even describe the pain.”
On this very date 40 years ago, Qawi became a two-weight world champion. After struggling to make 175lbs, he moved up to cruiserweight and, after a string of victories, travelled to Sun City, South Africa, to challenge WBA champion Piet Crous. It was a hard-fought contest, but Qawi wore Crous down and stopped him in the 11th round.
He exacted revenge on the Spinks family in March 1986, dishing out a brutal beating to Michael’s older brother Leon – another 1976 Olympic gold medallist. Qawi taunted and outclassed Spinks before stopping him in round six.
Then came a modern classic. In July 1986, rising star Evander Holyfield – just 11 fights into his pro career – challenged Qawi for the cruiserweight title. The pair produced arguably the greatest fight the division has ever seen. In a relentless slugfest, Holyfield threw 1,290 punches and Qawi 1,018, landing at an even higher connect rate. Holyfield won a split decision but was later hospitalised with headaches and dehydration, requiring treatment for a kidney issue.
Qawi and Holyfield rematched in December 1987, but the sequel bore little resemblance to the first. No longer a novice, Holyfield stopped Qawi in the fourth round – the first time Qawi had ever been dropped.
An unsuccessful step up to heavyweight followed, with Qawi stopped by George Foreman in March 1988.
“I wasn’t living the life by then,” Qawi admitted. “I was drinking and not training properly. I was beating George, but I got tired, and I knew I needed more time, and more money, for that fight. But I hurt him, and up until the end of the fight he was very conscious of my power.”
Qawi fought 18 more times up to 1998, including a losing world title effort in France against Robert Daniels for the WBA cruiserweight belt.
After retiring with a 41-11-1 (25 KOs) record, Qawi remained close to the sport, working as a boxing trainer, youth advocate, and drug and alcohol counsellor. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.
Everyone at Boxing News extends heartfelt condolences to the Qawi family, his friends, and fans around the world.
