The boxing world mourns the loss of Dwight Muhammad Qawi, a Hall of Fame pugilist who left an indelible mark on the sport. Qawi, who forged his path in boxing after starting to practice it in prison, passed away at the age of 72.
Her sister, Wanda King, confirmed that the death occurred on Friday, after a five-year battle against dementia.
Born as Dwight Braxton in Baltimore, Qawi grew up in Camden and found in boxing a way out and self-improvement. He competed in the Rahway State Prison boxing program while serving a sentence for armed robbery.
After his release in 1978, at the age of 25, Qawi turned professional. His name was legally changed in 1982 after his conversion to Islam.
One of his most outstanding achievements was the victory over Matthew Saad Muhammad in the tenth round, which earned him the WBC light heavyweight title in December 1981. Qawi successfully defended his title eight months later, defeating Saad again, this time in six rounds.Dwight Muhammad Qawi, campeón en peso semipesado y crucero en la década de 1980, fue incluido en el Salón Internacional de la Fama del Boxeo en 2004.After a defeat to Michael Spinks in March 1983, Qawi, nicknamed “The Camden Buzzsaw”, moved up in weight and conquered the WBA cruiserweight title by defeating Piet Crous in July 1985. His reign came to an end in July 1986, after losing to Evander Holyfield in a 15-round bout.
Subsequently, Qawi competed in the heavyweight category, where he was defeated by George Foreman in seven rounds.
Qawi retired in 1998 at the age of 46, with a record of 41-11-1 and 25 knockouts. His legacy was recognized with his inclusion in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.
After his retirement, Qawi dedicated himself to training boxers, advocating for youth, and providing advice on drugs and alcohol.
