The boxing world mourns the loss of Dwight Muhammad Qawi, a legendary boxer who left an indelible mark on the sport. Qawi, a Hall of Famer, passed away at the age of 72.
His sister, Wanda King, confirmed that Qawi died on Friday after a five-year battle against dementia.
Born as Dwight Braxton in Baltimore, he grew up in Camden. His path in boxing began in Rahway State Prison, where he participated in the boxing program while 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 his conversion to Islam, achieved a distinguished career in the ring.
In December 1981, Qawi defeated Matthew Saad Muhammad in the tenth round, conquering the WBC light heavyweight title. Eight months later, he beat Saad again, this time in six rounds.Dwight Muhammad Qawi was a light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion in the 1980s and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.
After a defeat to Michael Spinks in March 1983, Qawi, nicknamed “The Camden Buzzsaw”, moved up in weight and seized the WBA cruiserweight title by defeating Piet Crous in July 1985. Qawi lost the title to future heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield in a 15-round bout in July 1986.
Subsequently, Qawi competed in the heavyweight category, where George Foreman stopped him in seven rounds.
Qawi retired in 1998 at the age of 46, with a record of 41-11-1 and 25 knockouts. His dedication and achievements led to his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.
After his retirement, Qawi worked as a boxing coach, youth advocate, and counselor on drug and alcohol issues.
