No sooner seeing Dwight Muhammad Qawi numbered among this year's Hall of Fame inductees, the names of light-heavyweights past once again resurfaced from the back roads of my pugilistic memories of an on/off  yesterday division.
 
Was just a kid nearing age 12 when light heavy champ Billy Conn vacated his dominant reign in a failed challenge for the heavy bauble owned by a then invincible Joe Louis ... date was June 18, 1941 ... ahead on two of the judges cards entering candle 13 the brash Pittsburgh kid was taken out by a monster Louis left hook.
 
Gus Lesnevich followed Conn - was after two losses to Conn in 1939 & 1940 he claims vacant title in 1941 over Tami Mauriello  ... one defense in November over Mauriello and then Pearl Harbor.
 
Post- war found Lesnevich returning with mixed results ... win-loss with Freddie Mills and several do-overs with Mauriello, Bettina and a pair of wins over Frankie Carbo's tout Billy Fox.
 
Freddie Mills the pride of Parkstone, Dorsetshire, England had a short stint at the top after claiming bauble over Lesnevich on July 26, 1948  ... but lost title in 1950 to Joey Maxim.
 
Maxim never got his due in the credit department altho' he faced quality names like Ezzard Charles in 1951 in shot at heavy title ... also shared the squared circle with marquee talents Robinson, Archie Moore, Floyd Patterson, Bobo Olson, Willie Pastrano and heavyweight contender Eddie Machen.
 
The "Old Mongoose" Archie Moore followed Maxim ... wins title on December 17, 1952 at age 39 and keeps it as his own until relinquishing crown a decade later in 1962. A career total of 234 bouts ended in 1964 at age 51. Incredible career doesn't come close ... and another super talent Harold Johnson followed Moore.
 
Others of top drawer caliber followed ... but the division never really caught on as did the middleweights a rung below on the pugilistic ladder ... but then the 1970s and the division caught fire as never before.
 
Pretty much began in earnest with the advent of the split titles ... and with it a decade of unparalleled competitive action at 175 ... and the record books tell it all ... as the great Joe Louis would shout it, "You can run but you can't hide."   
 
Mike Rossman puts Turnersville, NJ on the map ... wins WBA crown on Sept. 15, 1978  from Victor Galindez via KO 13 ... year later Galindez returns favor by KO 10.
 
Marvin Johnson claims WBC bauble on Dec. 2, 78 by KO 2 over Mate Parlov ...  loses it following spring to Matthew Saad Muhammad by KO 10 ... no problem says Johnson as he then swipes WBA bauble with knockout over Galindez.
 
Now its March 1980 and enter Eddie Mustafa Muhammad  ... stops Johnson in eleven candles for WBA crown ... and did I forget anyone?
 
Yes ... our new Hall of Fame Inductee Dwight Muhammad Qawi ... enters the mix on serious note in 1980 scoring knockouts in  six outings ... then 1981 it's all quality foes ... wins over Johnny Davis, Al Bolden, Mike Rossman, James Scott lead to WBC crown by KO over Matthew Saad Muhammad.
 
Three defenses in 1982 with KO's of Jerry Martin, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Eddie Davis ... then 1983 ... enter Michael Spinks and decision loss for the vacant World Light Heavyweight Title.
        
Ah, yes ... Michael Spinks ... quite a track record to say the least ... prior to moving up and winning heavy crown from previously undefeated Larry Holmes - and repeats in first defense - he first did battle with the banditos of that great '75 pound era ... along with Qawi it went Yaqui Lopez, Marvin Johnson, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Vonzell Johnson, Murray Sutherland etc, etc, etc.  
     
*** The beat didn't end for Qawi with the Spinks loss  ... on July 27, 85 claims WBA Cruiserweight crown by KO over Piet Crous ... a year later loses to  Holyfield  by decision.
 
On that note, a standing "O" for a collective band of good guys that always gave its all ... and a round of applause to a newest member of the Canastota gang, Dwight Muhammad Qawi.
 
Semper Fi