Dwight Muhammad Qawi

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 5.5 in (1.66 m) 1.74 mts.
Nationality	American
Born	January 5, 1953 (1953-01-05) (age 58) Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	53
Wins	41
Wins by KO	25
Losses	11
Draws	1
No contests	0

Dwight Muhammad Qawi (born Dwight Braxton, January 5, 1953 in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.) is a former world boxing champion in the light heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.^[1]

Background

Qawi, then known as Dwight Braxton, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but grew up in Camden, New Jersey, where he got involved with crime at a young age. He was eventually convicted of armed robbery and spent around five years in prison.^[2]

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 light heavyweight title contender who fought several times inside the prison itself. Braxton took up the sport, and when he was released from prison in 1978, immediately became a professional boxer. Qawi's style was most often likened to Joe Frazier and with good reason as he had trained in Fraziers Philadelphia gym as a professional.

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. Braxton won a unanimous 10-round decision.

On December 19 of the same year, Braxton faced Saad Muhammad in Atlantic City. 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.^[3] It was shortly after this that he announced his conversion to Islam and changed his name.

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.

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.

He won two more fights, including a victory over former world heavyweight titlist Leon Spinks, before accepting a challenge from Olympian Evander Holyfield on July 12, 1986. The fight, in Holyfield's hometown of Atlanta, went the full 15 rounds with Holyfield winning a split decision.

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. On November 27, 1989, he dropped a split decision to Robert Daniels for Holyfield's vacated WBA title.

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. Currently, he works as a boxing trainer in New Jersey.

In 1998, Dwight began working at the Lighthouse, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Mays Landing, NJ. He works with both adults and adolescents and is a patient advocate. (http://www.dvrbs.com/PEOPLE/camdensports/Boxing-DwightQawi.htm)

Professional boxing record

41 Wins (25 knockouts, 16 decisions), 11 Losses (2 knockouts, 9 decision), 1 Draw [1]
Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round	Date	Location	Notes
Loss	41-11-1	Tony LaRosa	UD	8	25/11/1998	Ramada Inn, Rosemont, Illinois, United States
Win	41-10-1	Tyrone Demby	TKO	2 (?)	27/06/1997	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	40-10-1	Earl Clark	UD	6	08/05/1997	Boys and Girls Club, Paterson, New Jersey, United States
Loss	39-10-1	Nate Miller	UD	10	13/10/1992	Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Win	39-9-1	Dave Fiddler	TKO	2 (8)	18/07/1992	Mirage Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Loss	38-9-1	Arthur Williams	UD	10	08/05/1992	Riviera Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win	38-8-1	Ric Lainhart	TKO	1 (10)	07/04/1992	Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	37-8-1	Ricky Parkey	TKO	8 (10)	07/11/1991	District of Columbia, United States
Win	36-8-1	Eddie Taylor	TKO	4 (10)	23/07/1991	Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	35-8-1	James Salerno	UD	10	11/06/1991	Miami Beach, Florida, United States
Win	34-8-1	Tommy Richardson	KO	1 (?)	20/04/1991	Caesar's Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	33-8-1	Bert Gravley	TKO	3 (?)	02/03/1991	Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss	32-8-1	Mike Hunter	UD	12	16/03/1990	Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, United States	Lost WBC Continental Americas Cruiserweight title.
Loss	32-7-1	Robert Daniels	SD	12	27/11/1989	Pavilion Baltard, Nogent-le-Phaye, Eure-et-Loir, France	For vacant WBA World Cruiserweight title.
Win	32-6-1	Everett Martin	UD	10	22/05/1989	Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	31-6-1	Andre McCall	UD	12	18/04/1989	Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States	Won vacant WBC Continental Americas Cruiserweight title.
Win	30-6-1	Tyrone Booze	PTS	10	15/02/1989	Pennsylvania Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Win	29-6-1	Olian Alexander	TKO	3 (10)	23/11/1988	Convention Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Loss	28-6-1	George Foreman	TKO	7 (10)	19/03/1988	Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Loss	28-5-1	Evander Holyfield	KO	4 (15)	05/12/1987	Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States	For WBA & IBF Cruiserweight titles.
Win	28-4-1	Lee Roy Murphy	TKO	6 (10)	15/08/1987	Saint-Tropez, Var, France
Loss	27-4-1	Ossie Ocasio	MD	10	15/05/1987	Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win	27-3-1	Narcisco Maldonado	TKO	4 (10)	06/02/1987	Trump Plaza Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss	26-3-1	Evander Holyfield	SD	15	12/07/1986	Trump Plaza Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia, United States	Lost WBA Cruiserweight title.
Win	26-2-1	Leon Spinks	TKO	6 (15)	22/03/1986	Lawlor Events Center, Reno, Nevada, United States	Retained WBA Cruiserweight title.
Win	25-2-1	Rick Enis	KO	1 (10)	08/01/1986	Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	24-2-1	Piet Crous	TKO	11 (15)	27/07/1985	Superbowl, Sun City, North-West, South Africa	Won WBA Cruiserweight title. Crous down twice in the 11th round.
Win	23-2-1	Michael Greer	UD	10	27/02/1985	Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	22-2-1	Stanley Ross	UD	10	12/12/1984	Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	21-2-1	Pat Cuillo	UD	10	21/03/1984	Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	20-2-1	Johnny Davis	SD	10	17/09/1983	Sands Casino Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Loss	19-2-1	Michael Spinks	UD	15	18/03/1983	Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States	Lost WBC Light Heavyweight title. For WBA Light Heavyweight title.
Win	19-1-1	Eddie Davis	TKO	11 (15)	20/11/1982	Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States	Retained WBC Light Heavyweight title.
Win	18-1-1	Matthew Saad Muhammad	TKO	6 (15)	07/08/1982	Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States	Retained WBC Light Heavyweight title.
Win	17-1-1	Jerry Martin	TKO	6 (15)	21/03/1982	Showboat Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States	Retained WBC Light Heavyweight title.
Win	16-1-1	Matthew Saad Muhammad	TKO	10 (15)	19/12/1981	Playboy Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States	Won WBC Light Heavyweight title.
Win	15-1-1	James Scott	UD	10	05/09/1981	Rahway State Prison, Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, United States
Win	14-1-1	Mike Rossman	KO	7 (10)	31/05/1981	Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	13-1-1	Al Bolden	PTS	10	05/03/1981	Pennsylvania Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Win	12-1-1	Johnny Davis	PTS	10	08/01/1981	Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	11-1-1	Tony Mesoraca	TKO	6 (10)	06/11/1980	Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	10-1-1	Rick Jester	TKO	3 (10)	14/08/1980	International Amphitheatre, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Win	9-1-1	Charles Smith	TKO	4 (?)	05/06/1980	Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	8-1-1	Leonard Langley	TKO	2 (8)	08/05/1980	Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	7-1-1	Cornell Chavis	TKO	1 (?)	29/03/1980	Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	6-1-1	Theunis Kok	KO	1 (10)	04/02/1980	Kings Park Stadium, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Win	5-1-1	Johnny Wilburn	UD	8	14/11/1979	Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Win	4-1-1	Donald Biff Cline	TKO	1 (?)	26/09/1979	Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Win	3-1-1	Louis Butler	PTS	8	03/07/1979	Resorts International, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win	2-1-1	Louis Butler	PTS	6	25/05/1979	Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Loss	1-1-1	Johnny Davis	SD	6	02/11/1978	Audubon Ballroom, New York, New York, United States
Win	1-0-1	Lou Benson Jr.	PTS	6	03/06/1978	Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Draw	0-0-1	Leonard Langley	PTS	6	19/04/1978	D.C. Armory, District of Columbia, United States

See also

• The Brawl for it All

References

1. ^ Kates, William (2004-06-13). "Boxing champ Palomino enters Boxing Hall of Fame". USA Today. Associated Press. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2004-06-13-boxing-hall_x.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-11. 
2. ^ Putnam, Pat (1981-12-28). "From The Big House To The Big Time". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1125116. Retrieved 2010-02-11. 
3. ^ "Muhammad loses title to Braxton". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. 1981-12-21. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bkQNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lm0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6939,4275836&dwight+braxton&hl=en. Retrieved 2010-02-11. 

External links

• Professional boxing record for Dwight Muhammad Qawi from BoxRec

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

Persondata
Name	Qawi, Dwight Muhammad
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	January 5, 1953
Place of birth	Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Date of death
Place of death