Pacquiao vs. Bradley: Split Decision Gives Boxing a Black Eye

Timothy Bradley shocked the world, but for all the wrong reasons as he defeated Manny Pacquiao by one of the most controversial split decisions in boxing history.

The fight was dominated from start to finish by Pacquiao with the exception of some of the later rounds in the fight. But still, despite a few stronger rounds by Bradley, Pac Man was so far ahead there was no coming back from it.

Every analyst known to boxing had this fight as another win for Pacquiao. It's understandable if maybe a few agreed with this decision, but I personally couldn't find one. That's the first sign there's something wrong here. 

This is just the latest folly for the sport of boxing.

Bradley's winning decision stinks of corruption in every which way. It's purely speculation, but conspiracy theories will run wild surrounding this fight and these judges.

Just what reason would the sport have to fix this fight?

This is purely speculation, but since it looks like Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao will never get into the ring together, giving fans their dream fight, boxing must find its next big match.

After Bradley, there are no fighters that are truly worthy of a bout against either Pac Man or Money May. That being said, despite Bradley's excellent record, there would be little to no interest in seeing him fight either of the great fighters previously mentioned had he lost.

Like every boxer not named Pacquiao or Mayweather Jr., there is simply no interest in any other fighter right now.

But with Bradley's victory and new title, it keeps him in the conversation legitimately, however illegitimately he got there. The sport can still somewhat justify putting him into either a rematch with Pacquiao or a showdown with Mayweather Jr. when he gets out of the big house.

It's a cheap attempt to prop the sport up while it struggles to make the only fight that matters happen. Little do the powers-that-be know how much they are already making their sport irrelevant before the hope of a fight between Money May and Pac Man is dead.