Dwight Muhammad Qawi


Dwight Muhammad Qawi is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1978 to 1998. He was a world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBC and Ring magazine light heavyweight titles from 1981 to 1983, and the WBA cruiserweight title from 1985 to 1986. Qawi was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.

Early life

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.
It was in Rahway State Prison 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 Frazier's Philadelphia gym as a professional. He converted to Islam in the early 80's and had his name changed from Dwight Braxton to Dwight Muhammad Qawi.

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. 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, New Jersey. He works with both adults and adolescents and is a patient advocate.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
53Loss41–11–1 Tony LaRosaUD8Nov 25, 1998 Ramada Inn, Rosemont, Illinois, U.S.
52Win41–10–1 Tyrone DembyTKO2Jun 27, 1997 Tropicana Casino & Resort, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
51Win40–10–1 Earl ClarkUD6May 8, 1997 Boys and Girls Club, Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
50Loss39–10–1 Nate MillerUD10Oct 13, 1992 The Blue Horizon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
49Win39–9–1 Dave FiddlerTKO2, 2:59Jul 18, 1992 The Mirage, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
48Loss38–9–1 Arthur WilliamsUD10May 8, 1992 Riviera, Winchester, Nevada, U.S.
47Win38–8–1 Ric LainhartTKO1, 3:00Apr 7, 1992 Broadway by the Bay Theater, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
46Win37–8–1 Ricky ParkeyRTD8, 3:00Nov 7, 1991 Grand Hyatt, Washington, D.C., U.S.Won vacant WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight title
45Win36–8–1 Eddie Taylor4, 3:00Jul 23, 1991 Broadway by the Bay Theater, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
44Win35–8–1 James SalernoUD10Jun 11, 1991 Tamiami Fairgrounds Auditorium, Miami, Florida, U.S.
43Win34–8–1 Tommy RichardsonKO1Apr 20, 1991 Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
42Win33–8–1 Bert GravleyTKO3Mar 2, 1991 Broadway by the Bay Theater, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
41Loss32–8–1 Mike HunterUD12Mar 16, 1990 Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.Lost WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight title
40Loss32–7–1 Robert DanielsSD12Nov 27 1989 Pavillon Baltard, Nogent-le-Phaye, FranceFor vacant WBA cruiserweight title
39Win32–6–1 Everett MartinUD10May 22, 1989 Circus Maximus Showroom, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
38Win31–6–1 Andre McCallUD12Apr 18, 1989 Catholic Youth Center, Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.Won vacant WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight title
37Win30–6–1 Tyrone BoozeMD10Feb 15, 1989 Pennsylvania Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
36Win29–6–1 Olian AlexanderTKO3, 0:53Nov 23, 1988 Convention Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
35Loss28–6–1 George ForemanTKO7, 1:51Mar 19, 1988 Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
34Loss28–5–1 Evander HolyfieldKO4, 2:30Dec 5, 1987 Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.For WBA and IBF cruiserweight titles
33Win28–4–1 Lee Roy MurphyTKO6, 1:30Aug 15, 1987 Parking du Nouveau Port, Saint-Tropez, France
32Loss27–4–1 Ossie OcasioMD10May 15, 1987 Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
31Win27–3–1 Narcisco MaldonadoTKO4, 1:42Feb 6, 1987 Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
30Loss26–3–1 Evander HolyfieldSD15Jul 12, 1986 Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.Lost WBA cruiserweight title
29Win26–2–1 Leon SpinksTKO6, 2:56Mar 22, 1986 Lawlor Events Center, Reno, Nevada, U.S.Retained WBA cruiserweight title
28Win25–2–1 Rick EnisKO1, 1:54Jan 8, 1986 Broadway by the Bay Theater, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
27Win24–2–1 Piet CrousKO11, 1:47Jul 27, 1985 Superbowl, Sun City, South AfricaWon WBA cruiserweight title
26Win23–2–1 Michael GreerUD10Feb 27, 1985 Broadway by the Bay Theater, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
25Win22–2–1 Stanley RossUD10Dec 12, 1984 Broadway by the Bay Theater, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
24Win21–2–1 Pat CuilloUD10Mar 21, 1984 Broadway by the Bay Theater, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
23Win20–2–1 Johnny DavisSD10Sep 17, 1983 Sands, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
22Loss19–2–1 Michael SpinksUD15Mar 18, 1983 Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.Lost WBC and The Ring light heavyweight titles;
For WBA light heavyweight title
21Win19–1–1 Eddie DavisTKO11, 0:28Nov 20, 1982 Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.Retained WBC and The Ring light heavyweight titles
20Win18–1–1 Matthew Saad MuhammadTKO6, 1:23Aug 7, 1982 Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.Retained WBC and The Ring light heavyweight titles
19Win17–1–1 Jerry MartinTKO6, 2:30Mar 21, 1982 Showboat Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.Retained WBC and The Ring light heavyweight titles
18Win16–1–1 Matthew Saad MuhammadTKO10, 2:54Dec 19, 1981 Playboy Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.Won WBC and The Ring light heavyweight titles
17Win15–1–1 James ScottUD10Sep 5, 1981 Rahway State Prison, Woodbridge, New Jersey, U.S.
16Win14–1–1 Mike RossmanKO7, 1:59May 31, 1981 Steer Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
15Win13–1–1 Al BoldenUD10Mar 5, 1981 Pennsylvania Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
14Win12–1–1 Johnny Davis10Jan 8, 1981 Steer Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
13Win11–1–1 Tony MesoracaTKO6 Nov 6, 1980 Steer Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
12Win10–1–1 Rick JesterTKO3 Aug 14, 1980 International Amphitheatre, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
11Win9–1–1 Charles SmithTKO4 Jun 5, 1980 Steer Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
10Win8–1–1 Leonard LangleyTKO2, 2:47May 8, 1980 Steer Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
9Win7–1–1 Cornell ChavisTKO1, 1:12Mar 29, 1980 Steer Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
8Win6–1–1 Theunis Kok10 Feb 4, 1980 Kings Park Stadium, Durban, South Africa
7Win5–1–1 Johnny WilburnUD8Nov 14, 1979 Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
6Win4–1–1 Donald Biff Cline1, 1:48Sep 26, 1979 Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
5Win3–1–1 Louis ButlerPTS8Jul 3, 1979 Steel Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
4Win2–1–1 Louis Butler6May 25, 1979 Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
3Loss1–1–1 Johnny Davis6Nov 2, 1978 Audubon Ballroom, New York City, New York, U.S.
2Win1–0–1 Lou Benson Jr.6Jun 3, 1978 Civic Center, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
1Draw0–0–1 Leonard Langley6Apr 19, 1978 D.C. Armory, Washington, D.C., U.S.