| Dwight Muhammad Qawi | |
 |
|
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Dwight Muhammad Qawi born Dwight Braxton |
| Nickname(s) | Camden Buzzsaw |
| Rated at | Light Heavyweight Cruiserweight Heavyweight |
| Height | 5 ft 6. In boxing the light heavyweight (above 168 pounds up to 175 pounds division is the weight division between Cruiserweight and Super middleweight. Cruiserweight is a weight class in Boxing between Light heavyweight and Heavyweight. Heavyweight is a division or weight class, in Boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds (14 st 4 lb/91 kg are considered heavyweights by the major professional 50 in (1. 69 m) |
| Nationality |  American |
| Birth date | January 5, 1953 |
| Birth place | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 53 |
| Wins | 41 |
| Wins by KO | 25 |
| Losses | 11 |
| Draws | 1 |
| No contests | 0 |
Dwight Muhammad Qawi (born January 5, 1953 in Baltimore, Maryland,U.S.) is a former world boxing champion in the light-heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, He is considered one of the top boxers of the decade of the 1980s, and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "
Background
Qawi, then known as Dwight Braxton, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but grew up in a ramshackle section of Camden, New Jersey, where he got involved with crime at a young age. The City of Camden is the County seat of Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. He was eventually convicted of armed robbery and spent more than four years at New Jersey's Rahway State Prison. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. East Jersey State Prison, better known by its original name Rahway State Prison, was established in 1896 as the first reformatory in New Jersey
It was at Rahway that Braxton found his place in life. The prison had an extensive boxing program and one of its inmates, James Scott, was a middleweight title contender who fought several times inside the prison itself. James Scott may refer to James Scott 1st Duke of Monmouth (1649&ndash1685 noble recognized by some as James II of England James Scott (1671-1732 Braxton took up the sport, and when he was released from prison in 1978, immediately became a professional boxer. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar)
Professional career
He went 1-1-1 in his first three pro fights, but then reeled off 14 straight victories to move into the world rankings at light heavyweight. The last of those wins came on September 5, 1981, when Braxton returned to Rahway to fight Scott, with the winner promised a shot at Matthew Saad Muhammad's WBC world championship belt. Events 1590 - Alexander Farnese 's army forces Henry IV of France to raise the siege of Paris. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Matthew Saad Muhammad (born Maxwell Antonio Loach, June 16 1954) is a former boxer who was the world's light heavyweight champion The World Boxing Council was initially created by 11 countries the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Braxton won a unanimous 10-round decision.
On December 19 of the same year, Braxton faced Saad Muhammad in Atlantic City. Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. The ex-convict was the underdog against Saad, one of the most popular fighters of his generation and a fellow Hall of Famer, but Braxton defeated him on a 10th-round technical knockout and became a world champion for the first time. It was shortly after this that he announced his conversion to Islam and changed his name. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.
He defended the title three times in the next 15 months, knocking out Jerry Martin, Saad Muhammad a second time and Eddie Davis. On March 18, 1983, he lost a close but unanimous decision to WBA champion Michael Spinks in a unification bout. Events 37 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius ' will and proclaims Caligula emperor Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) The World Boxing Association (WBA is a Boxing organization that sanctions official matches and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level Michael Spinks (born July 13, 1956) a native of St Louis, Missouri, is a former boxer who was champion in both the Light heavyweight It shall be pointed out, that Qawi became the first person to drop Spinks when Spinks went to the floor in the eighth round of that bout. It was, however, a controversial knockdown that continues to be debated: some say that Qawi actually landed a punch before Spinks hit the floor, others claim Spinks tripped on one of Qawi's feet as Qawi hit him.
Qawi felt that making the division's 175-pound weight limit had drained him physically, and resolved to seek another world title in the newly created cruiserweight division. Freed of the need to fight to keep his weight down, Qawi reeled off another series of wins and claimed the WBA cruiserweight title on July 7, 1985, knocking out Piet Crous in Crous' native South Africa. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) Petrus Arnoldus Crous (born 1955-07-02 in Johannesburg) was a South African professional boxer The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
He won two more fights, including a victory over former world heavyweight titlist Leon Spinks, before accepting a challenge from up-and-coming Evander Holyfield on July 12, 1986. Leon Spinks (born July 11 1953 in St Louis Missouri) is a former boxer. Evander Holyfield (born October 19, 1962) is a professional boxer from the United States and a multiple world champion in both the Cruiserweight Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Their fight, in Holyfield's hometown of Atlanta, is considered by many to be the last great 15-round battle ever contested. When the fight ended, Holyfield had taken a split decision that Qawi still believes he deserved to win.
After the loss to Holyfield, Qawi fought off and on for the next 12 years, but never regained a world title. He rematched with Holyfield in 1987 for the WBA and IBF cruiserweight titles, but was stopped in the fourth round.
After a short stint in the heavyweight ranks, where in 1988 he lost to George Foreman by knockout in seven rounds, being forced to quit from exhaustion, he tried to regain the cruiserweight title. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is an American two-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion On November 27, 1989, he dropped a split decision to Robert Daniels for Holyfield's vacated WBA title. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Robert Daniels (born August 30, 1968 in Miami FL) is a professional boxer in the Cruiserweight division
Qawi retired in 1999 at the age of 46, with a career record of 41 wins, 11 losses and one draw, with 25 wins by way of knockout. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Currently, he works as a boxing trainer in New Jersey. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States.
See also
| Preceded by Matthew Saad Muhammad |
WBC Light Heavyweight Champion 19 Dec 1981–18 Mar 1983 |
Succeeded by Michael Spinks |
| Preceded by Piet Crous |
WBA Cruiserweight Champion 1985–1986 |
Succeeded by Evander Holyfield |