The boxing community mourns the loss of Dwight Muhammad Qawi, a renowned pugilist who left an indelible mark on the sport. Qawi, who started boxing in prison and became a world champion in two weight categories, passed away at the age of 72.
The news was confirmed by his sister, Wanda King, who reported that Qawi passed away on Friday after a five-year battle against dementia.
Born as Dwight Braxton in Baltimore, Qawi grew up in Camden. His boxing career began in the Rahway State Prison program, where he was serving a sentence for armed robbery. After his release in 1978, at the age of 25, he turned professional.
Qawi, who legally changed his name in 1982 after converting to Islam, achieved a notable victory by defeating Matthew Saad Muhammad in the tenth round, obtaining the WBC light heavyweight belt in December 1981. Eight months later, he defeated Saad again, this time in six rounds.After a defeat to Michael Spinks in March 1983, Qawi, known as “The Camden Buzzsaw”, moved up in weight and conquered the WBA cruiserweight title by defeating Piet Crous in July 1985. However, he lost the title to Evander Holyfield, future heavyweight champion, in a 15-round bout in July 1986.
Subsequently, Qawi competed in the heavyweight category, being stopped by George Foreman in the seventh round.
Qawi retired in 1998 at the age of 46, with a record of 41-11-1 and 25 knockouts. His outstanding career led to his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.
After retiring from the ring, Qawi dedicated himself to training boxers, defending young people, and counseling on drug and alcohol issues.
