Manny Pacquiao: What a Win vs. Timothy Bradley Will Mean for Boxing's Future

June 9th marks the return of boxing great Manny Pacquiao.  He will face Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley to defend his WBO Welterweight Title.  But what will this bout mean for boxing’s future?

Pacquiao successfully defended his title against Shane Mosley in May and against Juan Manuel Marquez in November.  Bradley also defended his WBO Light Welterweight Title against Joel Casamayor in November of the undercard of Pacquiao/Marquez III, remaining undefeated. 

There’s that word: undefeated!

This is an intriguing matchup because Pacquiao faces a man who hasn’t lost.  The last time Pacquiao lost was in 2005 against Erik Morales by unanimous decision.  In less than two weeks, it would be devastating for fans if Pacquiao lost to Bradley.  Losing for the first time in seven years can ruin a boxer’s legacy and put a stain on his career that cannot be removed. But Pacquiao has more on the line than just his title.

Many fans and experts still clamor for that Pacquiao/Floyd Mayweather dream fight, which has been delayed each time they try to negotiate a deal.  Pacquiao and Mayweather are perceived as the best boxers in the world.  Fans get annoyed every time negotiations fall through.  Both sides then engage in a “he said/he said” battle of who didn’t want to fight whom.  Since Mayweather defeated Miguel Cotto for the WBA (Super) Light Middleweight Championship, more pressure is added on Pacquiao to beat Bradley. 

If Pacquiao loses, it would definitely derail the Pacquiao/Mayweather discussion.  It would become a dead issue.  Mayweather wouldn’t be constantly hounded by questions of fighting Pacquiao.  Pacquiao would lose his arguable distinction as the best boxer in the world.  Worse, the state of boxing would be in more disarray if Pacquiao loses.  The loss could create a domino effect from which boxing might never recover. 

A loss for Pacquiao would not only end the dream fight talks, but it would also end Pacquiao’s legacy of greatness.  Pacquiao has dominated every fight for the past seven years, beating his opponents by TKO or unanimous decision.  His only blemish was still a victory, a split decision over Juan Manuel Marquez in 2008, and he avenged that in their third matchup by beating Marquez by majority decision. 

Pacquiao is also making the transition to being a politician, serving as a congressman for the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan party (PDP-Laban).  He’s been a member of the Philippine House of Representatives since 2007, and he hasn’t officially retired.  Pacquiao could end his boxing career after the fight, with nothing more to prove and move on to be a full-time politician in his native Philippines.    

If he loses to Bradley next weekend, he will no longer be considered the “best in the world.”  No more talks of a dream fight.  To put it plainly, he cannot afford to lose.

If Pacquiao wins, the debate continues, his legacy is intact, and he will remain among boxing’s current elite fighters.  In fact, a victory over the unbeaten Bradley will strengthen the negotiations between Pacquiao and Mayweather. Pacquiao’s camp can have pull; they could inform Mayweather that he defeated a boxer who hasn’t lost.  It could just be the catalyst that sets up Pacquiao/Mayweather. 

If the fight happens, it could lead to numerous bouts between the two fighters.  It could create a trilogy of fights between them.  Imagine how much money would be made in the first fight on pay-per-view and for HBO.  The fight could be the dawn of a new golden age for boxing.  However, it must start with Manny Pacquiao being victorious on June 9th.

A victory also opens the doors for new and exciting matches between other boxers.  New opponents would have to line up to take on Pacquiao.  A loss for Bradley would set him back, but it could also set up a rematch between the two.  Either way, the revenue from the possible events would be tremendous

Boxing needs this dream fight to happen between Pacquiao and Mayweather, which is why Pacquiao needs to win against Bradley and retain his title.  The ultimate result of a victory would not only continue Pacquiao’s legacy, but more importantly, it could set the stage for a new era in boxing.