Anthony Joshua bids to join Muhammad Ali in a very special boxing club as history beckons in Dubois showdown

The list of three-time world heavyweight boxing champions is a select one – and Anthony Joshua could be just days away from becoming its latest member.

On Saturday night at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium, AJ (28-3 with 25 wins inside distance) bids to reach the summit of the sport’s marquee weight division yet again.

Back in April 2016, Joshua ruled the world for the first time by blasting out Charles Martin, and three years later he claimed the title again by avenging that stunning upset loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.

DAZN: Sign up to watch Joshua vs Dubois LIVE!

in 2021 AJ would lose his titles to Oleksandr Usyk, and then fail to regain them in a rematch a year later. Since then he has rebuilt his reputation with four terrific victories – each one more devastating than the last.

Joshua, with his relationship with new trainer Ben Davison absolutely humming, is back to his destructive best as he prepares to challenge Daniel Dubois for the IBF belt on Saturday night.

More than 96,000 fans – a record fight crowd for the iconic Wembley venue – will have the arena rocking as Joshua bids to become only the fifth ever three-time world heavyweight boxing champion.

Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Anthony Joshua is close to becoming a three-time world heavyweight champion (Photo – Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing).

Three-time world heavyweight champions

So which fighters have already scaled this particular mountain? Here is the full list to date:

Muhammad Ali (1978)

‘The Greatest’ was boxing’s first ever three-time world heavyweight champion. Fitting that the most famous fighter ever to lace them up was also a trailblazer in boxing history. Muhammad claimed the title for a third time when he avenged a stunning upset loss to the unheralded Leon Spinks. Their rematch took place at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans on September 15, 1978. More than 70,000 fans packed the NFL stadium (home to the New Orleans Saints) to watch history being made, though the fight itself was a damp squib. Having taken Spinks lightly first time round, Ali was in no mood to mess around this time and he boxed his way to a comfortable points victory. It was his last victory as a professional fighter, and it once again wrote his name into boxing’s history books.

READ MORE: Anthony Joshua opens up on his relationship with promoter Eddie Hearn

Evander Holyfield (1996)

‘The Real Deal’ was just that – an astonishing fighter who mixed skills with heart and bravery as he ruled at both cruiserweight and heavyweight in a fabulous Hall of Fame career. Holyfield claimed his first heavyweight title in 1990 by blasting out James ‘Buster’ Douglas, but his second championship win in November 1993 will always be the most famous. That came in the second of his trilogy of epic fights vs Riddick Bowe – and the bout of course was delayed for 21 minutes in Round 7 when a hang glider crashed into the ring (for real). Few gave Holyfield a chance of claiming the title for a third time – many believed he was shot before he met the mighty Mike Tyson in late 1996. But Holyfield overturned the odds in incredible style to stop Tyson and become champion for a third time. Evander would actually become a four-time world heavyweight king in 2000 when he outpointed John Ruiz to claim the vacant WBA title. What a career he had…

Lennox Lewis (2001)

Lennox Lewis, probably Britain’s greatest ever heavyweight (Joshua may well eventually change that discussion) was a brilliant professional as well as Olympic champion in the amateurs. He was devastating in the paid ranks, ascending the throne of heavyweight boxing on three occasions as well as becoming undisputed champion with a win over Evander Holyfield in 1999. The first title ‘win’ was somewhat controversial when he was handed the belt that Riddick Bowe famously threw into a trash can. But the second and third times were both conclusive – avenging earlier losses to both Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman to claim the belts. The sensational KO of Rahman in November 2001 would complete his trilogy of titles, and the puch that did it was an absolute beauty. Never forget…

READ MORE: Latest heavyweight boxing rankings ahead of Joshua vs Dubois title blockbuster

Vitali Klitschko (2008)

‘Dr Ironfist’ won and lost the title twice – first through a defeat by Chris Byrd, then through retirement – before he ascended to the throne for a third time in 2008. The brilliant Ukrainian – who mixed strength and power with strategic excellence and grit – completed the Trifecta by successfully challenging ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ Samuel Peter in Berlin to claim the WBC belt. Their bout – on October 11, 2008 – was a one-sided affair which Klitschko dominated. Eventually Peter’s corner would pull their man out after eight brutal rounds to confirm Vitali as the new WBC king. It was also the first time two brothers had held versions of the world heavyweight title at the same time. Wladimir was IBF and WBO king at the time.