KNOCKOUT TRILOGIES

4 BIG FIGHT SAGAS

WITH Fury v Wilder 3 on the cards, here are four other epic heavyweight trilogies...

MUHAMMAD ALI v JOE FRAZIER (1971-1975)

By far the most famous boxing treble. These titans first clashed in 1971 when Frazier clubbed the returning Ali to a points defeat. Ali took a bloody, non-title rematch three years later, setting up the brutal “Thrilla in Manila”, in which Ali triumphed again when Frazier’s corner refused to let his man go out for the 15th and final round. EVANDER HOLYFIELD v RIDDICK BOWE (1992-1995) Bowe wrested the title from Holyfield in a 1992 battle but surrendered it a year later via majority decision in a bout made famous by the arrival of “Fan Man”, who parachuted into the ring midway through the seventh round. In their third meeting in November 1995, Bowe clambered off the floor to stop Holyfield in round eight and win back his titles. FLOYD PATTERSON v INGEMAR JOHANSSON (1959-1961) Johansson scored a major upset when he floored champ Patterson seven times in the third round to win the title in 1959. A year later, Patterson became the first man to win back the belt via a fifth-round knockout. In their decider nine months later, Patterson shook off two first-round knockdowns to stop the Swede in round six.

MUHAMMAD ALI v KEN NORTON (1973-1976)

Rebounding from his first loss to Frazier, Ali was undone in his first meeting with Norton in 1973, which he lost by split decision and sustained a broken jaw. Six months later, the split decision swung in Ali’s favour, setting up the decider three years later. Ali, back as champion, won a controversial unanimous verdict.