Pacquiao vs. Bradley Winner: How Public Will Perceive Desert Storm After Victory

Timothy Bradley Jr. became a household name this weekend after winning his welterweight title fight against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

The controversial decision extends Bradley's record to a flawless 29-0 and deals a devastating blow to any hopes of a potential mega-fight between Pacquiao and the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. But that's for another day.

Whether or not Pacquiao was robbed, Bradley is now the focus of the boxing world. So, with that being said, how will the public perceive the one they call "Desert Storm" after his decision win over Pac-Man?

No one can argue with Bradley's previous 28 wins, which were all obviously less infamous and controversial than Saturday's. And just watching the fight against Pacquiao, fans would have to agree that Bradley is worthy of the big stage and taking on the sport's best. So it's not as if he doesn't belong in the ring with the likes of Pacquiao and Mayweather.

The one thing that will haunt Bradley's legacy, though, is the controversy surrounding his breakthrough match against Pacquiao. Sometimes, it's not so much whether you win, it's how you win. 

If Bradley had come up short to Pacquiao on Saturday night but still given him a great fight, then he would have gained support going forward. However, our society seems to reward those who work hard and earn what they have. Bradley's win in Vegas this weekend was more luck than hard work.

Pacquiao out-punched Bradley significantly and landed more devastating blows than the American. Somehow, though, Bradley overcame it on two of the judges' scorecards.

Boxing already has a perception issue. And now, it seems that its newest champion, Timothy Bradley Jr., must deal with a similar issue as he looks to make his mark on the sport.

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