ThIs WBC / WBC / Lineal / Ring World Light Heavyweight Unification Title Fight between WBC Champ Dwight Braxton (changed to Dwight Muhammad Qawi after this fight) vs. WBA Champ Michael Spinks took place at the Atlantic Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey on March 18, 1983…..as Braxton came into the fight with a record of 19 – 1 – 1…..while Spinks entered the ring with a record of 22 – 0.
This was the fight all the fans wanted to see….as it was being asked for by boxing critics and magazine editors, too…..so on March 18…..just two months after Spinks wife’s death….. Michael “Jinx” Spinks and Dwight Muhammad The Camden Buzzsaw” Qawi met in a boxing ring for the undisputed light heavyweight championship.
According to the book The Ring: Boxing the 20th Century….Michael Spinks had a very tough moment to overcome before it even started….when his daughter asked him…..while he was in his dressing room….if her mother would come to watch the fight…..and after breaking into tears he composed himself and dominated the fight with his jab and plenty of strategic hooks and crosses….when he repeatedly stopped Qawi in his tracks over the first 11 rounds (Rounds 7 and 10 being his best), but cautiously waited for Qawi to come out of his crouched defense to resume his assault. Qawi’s best moments were accidentally stepping on Spinks’ foot in round eight….which was officially scored a knockdown by the judges….and a few “too little, too late” bombs in round 14. The official scores of 144-140, 144-141 and 144-141 surely reflected an improperly scored round 8 “knockdown” as Spinks realistically only surrendered 2 possible rounds (1 and 14).
Any way you cut the pie….this was a heck of a fight…..as both of the light heavyweight champions had fought any body who was anybody in the quality laden light heavyweight division during The Golden Age of Boxing.
