Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley: Pac-Man's Loss Won't Tarnish Career

While the controversy that surrounded the heartbreaking loss for Manny Pacquiao against Timothy Bradley is enough to turn causal boxing fans away from the sport for good, the defeat will not tarnish the legend’s legacy.

After seven years of being undefeated—15 fights against the toughest names the sport had to offer—the dream run is over.

No matter what the record book says, though, fans will always remember Saturday’s fight as a win for Pac-Man.

Now that the super fight with Floyd Mayweather is thrown out the window and the rematch between Bradley and Pacquiao is inevitably next, the end of the Philippine star’s career may be coming much faster than the boxing community had hoped.

Whether his rematch with Desert Storm results in a win or loss, there is a good chance that it will be Pacquiao's final fight.

With the weight of the world on his shoulders and the burden of an agonizing loss fresh in his heart, Manny has stayed strong and proved his true makeup. Pacquiao spoke to HBO after the fight and remained just as humble and respectful as ever:

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I respect the judges, the referee, all the officials. I cannot blame them. It’s part of the game, and I accept that wholeheartedly, and I give thanks to the Lord. I do my best, but my best wasn’t good enough.

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While it may not have been good enough for the judges on that night, Pac-Man put on another classic show for the fans and made all of the people that support him proud by handling the adversity with class and dignity.

Even in defeat, Pacquiao can fall back on the fact that he beat legends such as Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez and Miguel Cotto on several different occasions. His career is the stuff of legends.

If it wasn’t for the constant bickering between Floyd's and Manny’s camps, the world would have gotten the super fight they wanted in a timely fashion. Now fans will be left to wonder if there is anything the sport can do to return to its previous form.

Boxing as we know it may have died Sunday morning, but the legend of Manny Pacquiao is still alive and well.

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