Bob Foster vs Dwight Qawi

[NChristo]

Braxton changed his name to Qawi after beating Matthew Saad Muhammad the first time. And he had success at 175 after that. Nothing indicated he was "better" as Braxton.

Wrong, unless of course he changed it back to Braxton to fight Spinks in his 2nd to last fight at Light Heavy ?.


It's quite clear that he was better at 175 then after.

[joseph5620]

Wrong, unless of course he changed it back to Braxton to fight Spinks in his 2nd to last fight at Light Heavy ?.

Interview With Hall of Fame Champ Dwight Qawi
23.01.04 - By Shawn Darling: Dwight Braxton went away to Rahway State Prison at the age of 19 for armed robbery. He did 5 1/2 years serving from 1972 to 1977. He then turned pro at the age of 25, one month after being released. With no amateur experience, Braxton went on to become a two time world champ, winning the WBC lightheavy weight and WBA cruiser weight belts. After winning his first belt he converted to Islam and took the name Qawi.







On December 19 of the same year, Braxton faced Saad Muhammad in Atlantic City. The ex-convict was the underdog against Saad, one of the most popular fighters of his generation and a fellow Hall of Famer, but Braxton defeated him on a 10th-round technical knockout and became a world champion for the first time.[3] It was shortly after this that he announced his conversion to Islam and changed his name.He defended the title three times in the next 15 months, knocking out Jerry Martin, Saad Muhammad a second time and Eddie Davis. On March 18, 1983, he lost a close but unanimous decision to WBA champion Michael Spinks in a unification bout.Qawi felt that making the division's 175-pound weight limit had drained him physically, and resolved to seek another world title in the newly created cruiserweight division. Freed of the need to fight to keep his weight down, Qawi reeled off another series of wins and claimed the WBA cruiserweight title on July 7, 1985, knocking out Piet Crous in Crous' native South Africa.

He won two more fights, including a victory over former world heavyweight titlist Leon Spinks, before accepting a challenge from Olympian Evander Holyfield on July 12, 1986. The fight, in Holyfield's hometown of Atlanta, went the full 15 rounds with Holyfield winning a split decision.

After the loss to Holyfield, Qawi fought off and on for the next 12 years, but never regained a world title. He rematched with Holyfield in 1987 for the WBA and IBF cruiserweight titles, but was stopped in the fourth round.

After a short stint in the heavyweight ranks, where in 1988 he lost to George Foreman by knockout in seven rounds, being forced to quit from exhaustion, he tried to regain the cruiserweight title. On November 27, 1989, he dropped a split decision to Robert Daniels for Holyfield's vacated WBA title.

Qawi retired in 1999 at the age of 46, with a career record of 41 wins, 11 losses and one draw, with 25 wins by way of knockout. Currently, he works as a boxing trainer in New Jersey.

In 1998, Dwight began working at the Lighthouse, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Mays Landing, NJ. He works with both adults and adolescents and is an incredible patient advocate. (http://www.dvrbs.com/PEOPLE/camdensp...DwightQawi.htm)

[NChristo]

Cool story but you don't need to go into details, was he or was he not fighting as Braxton up to an including the Spinks fight ?, answer = yes and it's pretty clear by the video.

He wasn't universally recognized as Qawi until the Holyfield fight and if someone didn't know the history they wouldn't know that he changed his name earlier. No need to get *****y over it.

[joseph5620]

Cool story but you don't need to go into details, was he or was he not fighting as Braxton up to an including the Spinks fight ?, answer = yes and it's pretty clear by the video.

He wasn't universally recognized as Qawi until the Holyfield fight and if someone didn't know the history they wouldn't know that he changed his name earlier. No need to get *****y over it.

The fact remains he changed his name to Qawi after he won the title from Saad Muhammad which is all I said in the first place. It wasn't even directed towards you anyway. It was directed towards Sonny and his silly claim that Qawi fought better when he used a different name. Whether he was "universially" recognized or not doesn't change the fact that his name was changed when I claimed it was. I posted details because I don't like making statements without backing them up. There's Nothing "sh**y" about that. No need to act like a whiny little girl about it.

[NChristo]

Fact was he was still known as Braxton, which is what Sonny said in the first place. Not arguing when he changed his name silly, but he wasn't known as Qawi until after Light Heavy. Different things.

Qawi was a far better fighter when known as Dwight Braxton

[mickey malone]

Mickey you are getting Eddie Davis mixed up with Eddie Gregory (Mustapha Muhammad).. although Davis was a decent fighter as was his brother Johnny Davis, Saad Muhammad was finished by the time he fought Braxton and Dwight lost by shut-out to Michael Spinks, however he did have very good wins over Bull`Martin, Mike Rossman & James Scott.... Foster also defeated some very good opponents in Fourie, Quarry, Finnigan, Ahamuda & Tiger.

Saad was on the slide by the time Qawi got to him. And Qawi never fought Mustafa Muhammad unless Eddie Davis changed his name to Mustafa Muhammad in the same way Eddie Gregory did which I seriously doubt. Eddie Davis was not a big puncher and certainly no where near the level of Foster or even **** Tiger.

That's what you get for trying to have a bath order a chinese and then talk bollocks on the history section at the same time lol.. I've got those 2 muddled b4 so pity me. Maybe advantage Foster then, as i'll gladly conceed that Gregory was better than Davis. If these dudes didn't keep changing their bloody names, i wouldn't get so confused lol..

However,,,,, Qawi handed Muhammad (Franklyn!!!!) his first defeat when Saad was a 7 year pro aged 28 which was about the same age as Qawi. Saad retired at the end of an 18 year career, so that slide of his must have been like the North face of the Eiger.
Sorry but i can't accept he was finished, he'd been knocking out everyone in sundry and if he was past prime, it would have only been by about 5 minutes.

[joseph5620]

Fact was he was still known as Braxton, which is what Sonny said in the first place. Not arguing when he changed his name silly, but he wasn't known as Qawi until after Light Heavy. Different things.

Yes you did argue that
[QUOTE=NChristo;10021994]Wrong, unless of course he changed it back to Braxton to fight Spinks in his 2nd to last fight at Light Heavy ?.




I think most people who followed boxing knew he changed his name to Qawi. And they knew who Dwight Muhammad Qawi was. And Sonny's statement was he was better when he was "known as Braxton."There is nothing in the statement about being "better at 175". No need to add your own words in for your benefit or his either.







Many people referred to Ali as Clay long after he changed his name. Including boxing commentators. Doesn't mean he was only known as "Clay".

[NChristo]

Many people referred to Ali as Clay long after he changed his name. Including boxing commentators. Doesn't mean he was only known as "Clay".

The difference between them being that 'Clay' fought under the name Muhammad Ali and entered the ring as Muhammad Ali as soon as he changed, Qawi was still fighting as Braxton and entered the ring as Braxton, wearing the 'Braxton' robe and his team with the 'Braxton' clothes until the end of his 175 run.

"known as Braxton."There is nothing in the statement about being "better at 175".

Apart from them being the exact same thing.

[sonnyboyx2]

You need to explain that. Because looking back at Qawi's career it makes absolutely no sense.

what do you mean by "it makes absolutely no sense"?

Dwight Qawi was vastly better during his career when fighting at 175lbs and was known as Dwight Braxton.. there is not much to explain really as i followed the guys career so what is it you ask and require me to explain?... or did you not follow his career at 175lb

[joseph5620]

[QUOTE=NChristo;10022289]The difference between them being that 'Clay' fought under the name Muhammad Ali and entered the ring as Muhammad Ali as soon as he changed, Qawi was still fighting as Braxton and entered the ring as Braxton, wearing the 'Braxton' robe and his team with the 'Braxton' clothes until the end of his 175 run.


Apart from them being the exact same thing.[/QUOTE]





It's not the exact same thing unless you are assuming nobody knew Qawi changed his name. I'm pretty sure I'm not exclusive when it comes to knowledge of his conversion to Islam and name change.