Hall of Fame boxer Dwight Muhammad Qawi has died, according to multiple reports. He was 72 years old.
Qawi had an interesting journey to becoming a boxing star as he took up the sport while in prison for an armed robbery.
He competed in the boxing program at Rahway State Prison in New Jersey, according to the Associated Press, before turning pro when he was 25, not long after being released.
Dwight Muhammad Qawi, who was born Dwight Braxton, died this past Friday, his sister Wanda King said. He had been battling dementia for the past five years.
“He was a great father, a great Pop-Pop to his grandchildren,” King told BoxingScene. “He had a heart of gold, and he fought his dementia illness just like he was fighting in the ring.”
Qawi was born in Baltimore, before being raised in Camden, New Jersey.
He became a two-weight world champion after turning pro, winning the WBC light heavyweight title and WBA cruiserweight title in the 1980s.
He changed his name from Dwight Braxton to Dwight Muhammad Qawi in 1982 after converting to Islam, according to the AP.
Qawi also fought as a heavyweight during his boxing career, before retiring from the sport in 1998 when he was 46 years old.
He finished his career with a 41-11-1 record and was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004. He recorded 25 knockouts during his career.
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