A look back at a selection of heavyweight trilogies after Fury-Wilder 3
- Joe Hewlett
- 17 October 2021
Fury and Wilder collided in a heavyweight classic to end their trilogy series, with Fury winning the third via KO in round 11.
Last weekend's fight has been described as a modern day classic, and it now officially puts an end to their rivalry - a rivalry which started in 2018. The first bout ended as a split-draw, which saw Fury rise from the floor in round 12, while the 2020 rematch ended in a dominant seventh-round TKO for Fury.
Heavyweight title history is scattered with memorable trilogies, and below, we examine some of the best three-fight series.
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier (1971-1975)
By far the most famous boxing trilogy, Ali and Frazier first clashed in 1971 when Frazier clubbed the comebacking Ali to a 15th-round defeat - the contest was dubbed as 'The Fight of the Century'.
Ali took a bloody, non-title rematch three years later. It set 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 vs Riddick Bowe (1992-1995)
Bowe wrested the title from Holyfield in an epic 1992 battle, but surrendered it a year later via majority decision. It was a bout made famous by the arrival of ‘Fan Man’, who parachuted into the ring midway through the seventh round.
Floyd Patterson vs Ingemar Johansson (1959-1961)
Johansson scored a major upset when he floored defending champion 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 fifth-round knockout.
In their decider nine months later, Patterson survived two first-round knockdowns to stop the Swede in round six.
Muhammad Ali vs Ken Norton (1973-1976)
Rebounding from his first loss to Frazier, Ali was undone in his first meeting with Ken Norton in 1973, which he lost by split decision and sustained a broken jaw.
