Manny Pacquiao: What a Loss to Marquez Would Mean for Pac-Man's Legacy

If Manny Pacquiao does the unthinkable and loses to Juan Manual Marquez, his legacy will take a hit that will be irreversible. 

Marquez has clearly been Pac-Man's toughest opponent so far in his brilliant career, as he has taken him through 24 rounds that couldn't be any closer.

Pacquiao is 1-0-1 in the series, but there was no clear winner in the first two fights. If Pacquiao somehow doesn't win the third fight of the trilogy, it will be clear that Marquez has his number. 

And during a career where Pacquiao is aiming to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, he can't afford to be bested by anyone, let alone a 38-year-old who is likely past his prime. 

Pacquiao's legacy is "best in the world." If he doesn't win this fight, there will always be someone out there that has had his number, no matter what happens with Floyd Mayweather in the future. 

If Pac-Man had perhaps knocked out Marquez in one of the first two fights, he might have a little leniency here. 

But he didn't. The two are equal right now in my book. And whoever wins on Saturday has the clear-cut advantage over the other.

You know, as long as it doesn't come down to the judges again. 

Pac-Man may be a huge favorite in this one, but that also means he has a lot to lose. He had better be careful with Marquez, who isn't quite ready to anoint Pacquio the winner just yet. 

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“That’s OK, I don’t care,” Marquez says in his suite at the MGM Grand while eating an egg white omelet. “People think what they want to think. I’ve heard it before. That won’t affect me at all.”

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An underestimated opponent, very little to win and a lot to lose makes this a dangerous fight for Manny Pacquiao. He's clearly had the better career and is clearly the better boxer, but that just means his legacy will be forever tainted if he loses.