The Five Most Memorable Fights of Dwight Muhammad Qawi

Dwight Muhammad Qawi, known as “The Camden Buzzsaw,” was a relentless force in the ring. With his constant pressure tactics and granite chin, he was involved in numerous memorable fights. On July 25, Qawi sadly passed away at 72 after battling dementia for the last five years of his life. As a tribute to Qawi, here are five of his most memorable fights.

Dwight Muhammad Qawi: 5 Most Memorable Fights

Matthew Saad Muhammad I (1981)

When looking back on Qawi’s career, the first fight many talk about is his memorable first fight with Matthew Saad Muhammad for the WBC and Ring light heavyweight titles. The December 19 fight saw, then named Dwight Braxton, deliver a boxing clinic as he cut the ring off impressively, delivering a one-sided beatdown, stopping Saad Muhammad in the tenth round to become the new king of the light heavyweight division.

Evander Holyfield I (1986)

Another memorable fight for Dwight Muhammad Qawi took place on July 12, 1986, against Evander Holyfield. They clashed for the WBA cruiserweight title, remaining one of the greatest cruiserweight bouts of all time.

Holyfield was on the way up, and Qawi was the champion. Both combined to deliver a 12-round war. It was full of non-stop battle, where Qawi attacked on the inside and threw heavy combinations. These attacks were matched by Holyfield, who did just enough to win by split decision with judges’ scorecards of 143-141 for Qawi, while the other two judges favoured Holyfield, 147-138 and 144-140.

Leon Spinks (1986)

Next on our list is Qawi’s dominant performance against Leon Spinks on March 22. From the opening bell, Qawi applied relentless pressure, closing Spinks down and landing heavy shots. He backed Spinks up throughout the sixth round, unloading hurtful combinations. Spinks offered little in return, and after one more sustained attack, the referee stepped in to wave the fight off.

Michael Spinks (1983)

On March 18, Qawi defended his WBC light heavyweight title against Michael Spinks. The challenger used his height and reach to control the pace and distance of the fight. Qawi tried to work on the inside like he did to great effect in so many of his fights. Despite having his moments in the middle rounds and towards the end of the rounds, the tactics from Spinks were enough to navigate past a controversial knockdown and win by unanimous decision, with the judges’ scorecards reading 144-140 and 144-141 x2.

Ossie Ocasio (1987)

Fighting for the vacant WBA cruiserweight title on May 15, 1987, Dwight Muhammad Qawi faced Ossie Ocasio, who attempted to frustrate Qawi by excessively holding, while Qawi remained the only fighter looking to engage. Many felt Qawi had won the fight, but the judges inexplicably saw it differently, scoring the fight 95-95, while the other two favoured Ocasio 95-94 and 96-94, awarding him a controversial majority decision victory.

Dwight Muhammad Qawi was always at his best on the front foot, cutting the ring off and unloading hurtful combinations on his opponents. He was never afraid to fight the best, ensuring he was involved in many memorable bouts. Qawi will forever be remembered as one of the greatest fighters of his generation.