BoxRec

One of boxings tough guys. He had zero amateur fights, was only around 5'7" tall and didn't turn pro until aged 25 as a LHW. Chucked in at the deep end at the very start of his pro career of which he only had one month of training, fighting guys far more experienced yet beat several world champs, giving Holyfield a tough fight. Thrown in with Foreman, which was way out of his weight limit and 32lbs heavier than he was in his previous fight, and even then he took Foreman's best shots before quitting, a close fight upto then on some peoples scorecards. Foreman said Qawi's lack of height gave him problems. Qawi was overweight and took the fight on short notice, quite an achievement he lasted as long as he did.

What's your thoughts on Qawi?

He's one of my all time favourites so I may be biased but I think he is one of the greatest natural fighters of all time. For having so little boxing experience he had a great defence and was also utterly fearless in the ring. i think it's difficult to rate him but I'd say top 10-15 all time at Lt Heavy.

He was very tough. I also think he went to jail at one point, didn't he?

He was one of the toughest and roughest light-heavyweight boxers ever. To say that he didn't had enough height and amateur experience, or zero amateur experience in boxing and to become world champion in two weight classes is more than a great accomplishment of itself. He is also a member of the IBHOF.

elmersalsa wrote:He was very tough. I also think he went to jail at one point, didn't he?

Yeah, five years for armed robbery, thats where he was introduced into boxing. Interestingly he said in an interview that Holyfield was 'juiced' !!

Always reminded me of Joe Frazier.

Qawi was like Frazier, but with better defense.

Controversial wrote:

elmersalsa wrote:He was very tough. I also think he went to jail at one point, didn't he?

Yeah, five years for armed robbery, thats where he was introduced into boxing. Interestingly he said in an interview that Holyfield was 'juiced' !!

Does 'juiced' mean steroids? - Because if it does, then I agree with Qawi; when you look at the way Michael Spink's grew from light-heavy to heavyweight; how his body changed as he gained weight, and how that weight gain had a natural look about it, then compare that to how Holyfield's body grew into the muscular beast that he became, has to my mind, always made Holyfield suspect.

Back in the early 90's they were selling us that Holyfield got looking that way via diet and aerobics. (Aerobics was so popular people were willing to believe anything said about it); they kept referring to Holyfield as the new 'modern athlete' - I wonder just how modern he actually was?

APerno wrote:

Controversial wrote:

elmersalsa wrote:He was very tough. I also think he went to jail at one point, didn't he?

Yeah, five years for armed robbery, thats where he was introduced into boxing. Interestingly he said in an interview that Holyfield was 'juiced' !!

Does 'juiced' mean steroids? - Because if it does, then I agree with Qawi; when you look at the way Michael Spink's grew from light-heavy to heavyweight; how his body changed as he gained weight, and how that weight gain had a natural look about it, then compare that to how Holyfield's body grew into the muscular beast that he became, has to my mind, always made Holyfield suspect.

Back in the early 90's they were selling us that Holyfield got looking that way via diet and aerobics. (Aerobics was so popular people were willing to believe anything said about it); they kept referring to Holyfield as the new 'modern athlete' - I wonder just how modern he actually was?

Yep thats what he meant. Of course always a lot of rumours around that, especially with the Evan Fields incident.

Controversial wrote:

APerno wrote:

Controversial wrote:
Yeah, five years for armed robbery, thats where he was introduced into boxing. Interestingly he said in an interview that Holyfield was 'juiced' !!

Does 'juiced' mean steroids? - Because if it does, then I agree with Qawi; when you look at the way Michael Spink's grew from light-heavy to heavyweight; how his body changed as he gained weight, and how that weight gain had a natural look about it, then compare that to how Holyfield's body grew into the muscular beast that he became, has to my mind, always made Holyfield suspect.

Back in the early 90's they were selling us that Holyfield got looking that way via diet and aerobics. (Aerobics was so popular people were willing to believe anything said about it); they kept referring to Holyfield as the new 'modern athlete' - I wonder just how modern he actually was?

Yep thats what he meant. Of course always a lot of rumours around that, especially with the Evan Fields incident.

Ah! - Thank you - I was completely unaware of the 'Evan Fields incident' - I just googled it - oh, OK, that makes much sense. - Why did he answer his own phone, I thought the guy was rich? - https://www.boxing247.com/weblog/archives/133765

There's a guy on here sparred with him once, jmac I think it is? Do a search, he tells a great story.

If someone could find and link the thread...

Seamus wrote:Qawi was like Frazier, but with better defense.

Really? Frazier had good defense...

Cutman Scabbers wrote:

Seamus wrote:Qawi was like Frazier, but with better defense.

Really? Frazier had good defense...

Qawi had a toney-esque way of rolling through the shoulders in a way I thought was defensively cuter than Frazier. He seemed to draw and slip punches more, where fraziers movement just seemed pre-emptive, if you know what I mean.

Counter-puncher wrote:There's a guy on here sparred with him once, jmac I think it is? Do a search, he tells a great story.

If someone could find and link the thread...

http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f ... d#p3370718

Excellent fighter, I think he caught Holyfield pre-juice, but you never know. No way is he a top 15 Light Heavy, that division is just too deep. Deserved HOFer though. Tough as nails, as far as I know only Evander dropped him.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Excellent fighter, I think he caught Holyfield pre-juice, but you never know. No way is he a top 15 Light Heavy, that division is just too deep. Deserved HOFer though. Tough as nails, as far as I know only Evander dropped him.

I think Foreman had him down but it wasn't counted.

Controversial wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Excellent fighter, I think he caught Holyfield pre-juice, but you never know. No way is he a top 15 Light Heavy, that division is just too deep. Deserved HOFer though. Tough as nails, as far as I know only Evander dropped him.

I think Foreman had him down but it wasn't counted.

Really? I watched that once and I don't remember George even wobbling him.

- Understandable that lumps get a tad wobbly given their brain cells are being choked out by larded buttocks.

Foreman put Qawi through the ropes twice early on that should've been called knockdowns. Later Foreman walked away from two more KDs, the first of which Qawi faked so he could launch a behind the back sucker attack, and the 2nd would've put Qawi into the 5th row but for the ropes. In the end, the proud Qawi turned his back and walked to his corner, quitting a brutal beatdown. Smart.

The soft clay of memory here probably influenced by generally reasonable commentators Bernstein and Clancy who were caught up in the opinion that George had no business coming back, thus giving him little credit for so called pushed punches that had Qawi backing up most of the fight. This George's 8th comeback fight after a decade, and he at his lightest, 235, probably overtrained not that it mattered since he soon settled into his ideal weight of 250+.

I never liked the sneering Qawi who took advantage of a shopworn, overweight Saad who had to run off 2.5 lbs on the same day weighin. Foreman was in his Tyson mission, his 8th fight, and Qawi had a lot of overlap to the Tyson style. That fight set up the Foreman legend as you look at his career of over 80 fights, he took only 5 losses, the first a fluke fight that Ali refused the mega money rematch, Young in a chicken run, Field holding on for dear life after the halfway mark, and Morrison and Briggs who took to flight instead of fighting an old man, utterly shameless.
Qawi on the otherhand had a very limited title record of 6-4, HOF worthy arguably in the lower tier. I believe it was the 2nd Field fight when he made his juice remarks after Field turned up twice as strong as their first fight. Both their fights were close on the cards, but all Qawi was for George was a short workout.

BroughtonRulesRefuge wrote:- Understandable that lumps get a tad wobbly given their brain cells are being choked out by larded buttocks.

Foreman put Qawi through the ropes twice early on that should've been called knockdowns. Later Foreman walked away from two more KDs, the first of which Qawi faked so he could launch a behind the back sucker attack, and the 2nd would've put Qawi into the 5th row but for the ropes. In the end, the proud Qawi turned his back and walked to his corner, quitting a brutal beatdown. Smart.

The soft clay of memory here probably influenced by generally reasonable commentators Bernstein and Clancy who were caught up in the opinion that George had no business coming back, thus giving him little credit for so called pushed punches that had Qawi backing up most of the fight. This George's 8th comeback fight after a decade, and he at his lightest, 235, probably overtrained not that it mattered since he soon settled into his ideal weight of 250+.

I never liked the sneering Qawi who took advantage of a shopworn, overweight Saad who had to run off 2.5 lbs on the same day weighin. Foreman was in his Tyson mission, his 8th fight, and Qawi had a lot of overlap to the Tyson style. That fight set up the Foreman legend as you look at his career of over 80 fights, he took only 5 losses, the first a fluke fight that Ali refused the mega money rematch, Young in a chicken run, Field holding on for dear life after the halfway mark, and Morrison and Briggs who took to flight instead of fighting an old man, utterly shameless.
Qawi on the otherhand had a very limited title record of 6-4, HOF worthy arguably in the lower tier. I believe it was the 2nd Field fight when he made his juice remarks after Field turned up twice as strong as their first fight. Both their fights were close on the cards, but all Qawi was for George was a short workout.

Qawi was never a HW though, far too small. I was amazed he lasted as long as he did and he done well in the early rounds. Fought as a CW before and after Foreman, a strange fight for him to take considering. Maybe they paid him well !!

There is no way that Qawi is a "lower tier" Hall of Fmar. He had a 6-4 record in title fights.

So What? Just yet another example of how meaningless title records can be. Look at who the losses were to: One to Michael Spinks, two to Holyfield, and one when he was 36 years old and way past it. He had several really good wins.
He is a legitimate Hall of Famer, no doubt about it.

Dwight Braxton vs. Dwight Muhammad Qawi -- who would win???

The first time I saw him was on a nationally televised fight from famed Rahway Prison... I can't remember if it was on ABC's Wild World of Sports... but I think so... James Scott was a famous prison fighter of the day who was getting a lot of publicity... Qawi was Dwight Braxton then I believe... He finished James Scott's career with an awesome display of footwork, boxing, and punching.. A guy 5'7" out-jabbing and out-boxing a man about 6' 1"... Buzz Saw indeed.

Tough dude who overcame some major handicaps to become an elite cruiserweight. He has always stood out to me due to his lack of an amateur career and how good he became anyway. Qawi-Holyfield I is arguably the best cruiserweight title fight ever.