Qawi, ex-convict who became champ, dies at 72

CAMDEN, N.J. — Dwight Muhammad Qawi, a Hall of Fame fighter who took up boxing in prison and became a two-weight world champion, has died. He was 72.

Qawi’s sister, Wanda King, said he died Friday following a five-year battle with dementia.

Born Dwight Braxton in Baltimore, he grew up in Camden. He competed in the boxing program at Rahway State Prison while serving a sentence for armed robbery and turned professional at age 25 soon after his release in 1978.

Qawi, who legally changed his name in 1982 following his conversion to Islam, stopped Matthew Saad Muhammad in the 10th round to win the WBC light heavyweight belt in December 1981. Qawi stopped Saad again eight months later, this time in six rounds.

After a loss to Michael Spinks in March 1983, the 5-foot-7 Qawi, called “The Camden Buzzsaw,” moved up in weight and took the WBA cruiserweight title from Piet Crous in July 1985. Qawi lost the title to future heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield in a 15-rounder in July 1986.

Qawi later fought as a heavyweight, with George Foreman stopping him in seven rounds.

Qawi retired in 1998 at age 46 with a 41-11-1 record and 25 knockouts. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.

After his retirement from the ring, he worked as a boxing trainer, youth advocate and drug and alcohol counselor.