Pacquiao vs Marquez: Win or Lose, Pacquiao's Legacy Is Secure

What Manny Pacquiao will be to us after Saturday's fight will be the same as what he is to us now, it just may take us a while to put things in perspective. 

There are really only a few outcomes that could come from Saturday's epic bout between rivals and respected boxers. Pacquiao can beat Marquez in the ring before the decision ever gets to the judges. 

Pacquiao can flourish each round and take this thing the distance. At that point, we will realize Pacquiao is the greatest as a unanimous decision comes across the judges' table. 

Or Juan Manuel Marquez can win. For this exercise we will concentrate on this possibility. You would think that a Marquez victory either by knockout or decision would kill the long and lustrous legacy of Manny Pacquiao. 

For a second, let's consider what we think of Pacquiao. He is arguably the best boxer to have put on gloves for the span of a few years. His speed was unmatched and his defense impenetrable.

The fact is we can't take that away from the remarkable pugilist. He will always be the marvel in the ring that amazed with punctuated flurries and counters.

But at some point that ends.

Like Shaquille O'Neal turning into something softer than Charmin when he wore a Celtics jersey, or Michael Jordan bricking threes when he suited up for the Wizards, legends fade.

The day after seeing the best become human we are forced to consider them as they are presently. I remember scoffing at Shaq and thinking he was no good. I pleaded that Jordan would just quit already.

Now? Now we consider them some of the best athletes that ever played the game, and so it will go with Manny Pacquiao. A defeat will have us immediately recant our praise. As the days pass we will forget one of the last fights he ever fought. We will remember the myriad of other amazing moments.

At 32, we can hardly expect Pacquiao to fight at the level of a superhuman for much longer. At some point he will slow. It's kind of what we humans do.

He has already proved where he should be among the pantheon of greats. The outcome of Saturday's bout will have little to say about it in the grand scheme of things.