Oh man, where to even start? Dwight Muhammad Qawi—yeah, that guy was a true legend of the ring back in the day. So apparently, he passed away at 72. Dementia got to him after a long struggle. It’s like, heavy stuff. Seen some folks say he wasn’t as flashy as Evander Holyfield or Michael Spinks, but anyone deep into boxing in the 80s knew Qawi, no doubt about it. I mean, his life was like this wild tale of change. Picture this: the guy found boxing while locked up for armed robbery. I know, right? Turns pro at 25 and then boom, he becomes a big name in the sport. Crazy stuff.
Oh, and about his fights—he faced Matthew Saad Muhammad in the early 80s. Stopped the dude in 10 rounds, and then did it again in six rounds another time. But of course, not all streaks last. Ran into Michael Spinks in ’83 and, well, that was a different story. Still, the guy was relentless. Jumped up to cruiserweight, snagged the WBA title from Piet Crous in ’85. Can you imagine dropping the defending champ twice in the 11th round? Unreal.
Then there’s the fight that everyone’s still talking about—Qawi versus Evander Holyfield. Summer of ’86 in Atlanta. I swear, if there was ever a classic fight, this was it. They went at it like no one’s business, both refusing to back down. Some folks still say Qawi should’ve won. It was that close. They fought again in ’87, and yeah, Holyfield wrapped it up quicker this time, but that first match? Absolute gold.
Thinking back, Qawi was from another world, like old-school, you know? Humble guy, not big on trash talk. Also, he was like under 5’8—can you believe that? But he packed a punch and worked like a beast. Left behind a career that’s worth remembering. If you’re bored and need a rabbit hole to tumble down, his fights online are epic. Definitely a standout from an era full of ‘em.
