BARRY McGUIGAN Qawi was a legend who inspired me

BOXING lost a true great this week with the passing of Dwight Muhammad Qawi.

- BARRY McGUIGAN

It was because of fighters like him - a full-on, aggressive, attacking fighter - that I fought the way I did, swarming all over people trying to knock the living daylights out of them.

I remember Qawi as Dwight Braxton before he converted to Islam. They called him the Camden Buzzsaw after the town in New Jersey where he grew up.

He was only 5ft 7ins but ended his career as a heavyweight. As a cruiserweight he gave Evander Holyfield a terrific battle in their first fight, but it was at light heavyweight that he shone, this chunky, tough marauder throwing punches in bunches like a featherweight.