Dwight Muhammad Qawi, the former boxer who became a two-weight world champion after a prison stint, passed away on Friday at the age of 72.
Per The Associated Press, the boxing Hall of Famer’s demise was announced by his sister, Wanda King. She said he died after battling dementia for five years.
Prior to taking up boxing, Qawi served time at the Rahway State Prison for armed robbery. He partook in a boxing program during his conviction, and at the age of 25, he became a professional boxer after he was released in 1978.
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Qawi, who went by the nickname “The Camden Buzzsaw,” later converted to Islam and changed his name. In December 1981, he became the WBC light heavyweight champion after defeating Matthew Saad Muhammad. He also beat him the second time when they faced off eight months later.
Qawi later elevated in the weight category and won the WBA cruiserweight title after defeating Piet Crous in July 1985. Another boxing legend, Evander Holyfield, defeated him and won that title in July 1986.
Qawi also contested in the heavyweight category, but he lost against George Foreman. He ultimately retired from boxing in 1998 at the age of 46, per The Associated Press. His record stands at 41-11-1 with 25 knockouts. Qawi in 2004 was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
During his retirement years, Qawi was a boxing trainer, youth advocate and drug and alcohol counselor.
