Holyfield vs Qawi — The All-Time Greatest Cruiserweight Fight

It’s rare to see boxers who truly enjoy the raw brutality of the sport like Dwight Muhammad Qawi once did. Fighters who grin when they get hit. Fighters who casually brush off powerful shots with a chuckle that would be no laughing matter to anyone else. Qawi, formerly known as Dwight Braxton, embodied his nickname “The Camden Buzzsaw” perfectly, standing at a mere 5’7″ but still taking down much larger opponents with ruthless efficiency while displaying an undeniable passion for combat.

Qawi’s journey to boxing had a clear path. Growing up on the tough streets of Camden, New Jersey, a young Braxton was sent to Rahway State Prison for armed robbery at 19. It was there that he learned to box from fellow inmate and former light-heavyweight contender, James Scott. Upon his release in 1978, Braxton, with no amateur experience, turned pro and within three years, “The Camden Buzzsaw” claimed the WBC light heavyweight championship from future Hall of Famer Matthew Saad Muhammad, delivering a brutal beating in the process.

He successfully defended his title three times, including wins over Jerry “The Bull” Martin and Eddie Davis, before losing to Michael Spinks in a high-profile unification fight. Two years later, Qawi bounced back by adding the WBA cruiserweight title to his collection. Fate would have it that his second title defense would be against Olympian and future legend, Evander Holyfield.

While Holyfield faced struggles growing up in Atlanta, he had a successful amateur career culminating in representing the US in the 1984 Olympics. Despite a controversial disqualification in the Olympics, Holyfield was still considered one of the best on a US team that won nine gold medals. In just his second year as a pro, Holyfield was the first from that Olympic team to challenge for a world title.

The Holyfield vs Qawi matchup was a significant challenge for Evander in just his twelfth pro fight, facing a fierce opponent with strength and aggression. Despite Holyfield’s youth and talent, he had to face a relentless fighter like Qawi for fifteen rounds, with only his hometown fans to support him.