Ricky and Floyd in elite group

In becoming Scotland’s first three-weight world champion, Ricky Burns put his name among an exclusive list of fighters who took the same path to triple glory.

Burns makes the first defence of his WBA super-lightweight world title on Friday live on Sky Sports as he takes on unbeaten mandatory challenger Kiryl Relikh.

Only four other fighters won their first world title at super-featherweight before moving up to reign at lightweight and super-lightweight, and you will see the Scot has followed in some famous footsteps…

Hector Camacho

Puerto Rican great Camacho was the first fighter to achieve the feat and it was in San Juan in August 1983 that he won his maiden world title, stopping Rafael Limon in the fifth round to claim the vacant WBC super-featherweight strap. 

After one successful defence, Camacho went in pursuit of lightweight glory and soon took on experienced Mexican Jose Luis Ramirez who he defeated via a unanimous decision to again capture the esteemed green belt.

‘Macho’ then overcame two former world champions, Edwin Rosario and Cornelius Boza-Edwards, to retain the belt before the southpaw star, still undefeated, once again moved up.

It was against Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini that history was made with Camacho winning a split-decision to add the vacant WBO super-lightweight belt to his collection.

Despite the achievement, Camacho’s illustrious career was still taking off and he later earned minor titles in four additional weight classes to become boxing’s first septuple champion, including wins over none other than Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard.

Camacho fought on until the age of 47 and eventually called time on his career in 2010. He tragically passed away two years later, aged 50, after being shot and wounded while sitting in a car.

Julio Cesar Chavez

Considered the greatest Mexican boxer of all time and one of the pound-for-pound best ever, Chavez finished his career in 2005 with a record of 107-6-2-KO86, having gone 90 fights before he tasted defeat.

Known for his outstanding punching power, Chavez won his WBC super-featherweight and first world title by stopping Mario Martinez in California in September 1984.

After nine successful defences, he moved up to inflict the third defeat on Edwin Rosario and in doing so won the WBA lightweight title, and went on to unify the division against another familiar foe in Jose Luis Ramirez.

Chavez matched Camacho’s three-weight record with a win over Roger Mayweather and again went on …

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