Pacquiao vs. Marquez: Pac-Man's Legacy Hurt by Controversial Trilogy of Fights

Manny Pacquiao stepped into the ring against Juan Manuel Marquez for the third time. It was his chance to finally assert himself as the dominant fighter in this matchup and prove that he was in a class of his own.

He failed miserably. Once again, the close fight ended with controversy and Pacquiao was handed a majority victory by the judges when it was seemingly undeserved.

Regardless of whether you believe Pacquiao or Marquez should have walked away with the victory, it's impossible to argue that Pacquiao benefited from this fight. As the perceived best pound for pound fighter in the world, he should have dominated 38-year-old Marquez in a quick knockout.

His inability to do so and the controversy that is still buzzing has people questioning whether or not he could even hold his own against Floyd Mayweather.

The trilogy of fights vs. Marquez may have favored Pacquiao on the scorecards, but it certainly didn't bolster his perception in the boxing world.

Every time he climbed into the ring with Marquez, Pac-Man proved that he was on an equal playing field with Marquez.

Even though Mayweather sucker punched Victor Ortiz on his way to attaining victory, he still gained momentum going into what is perceived to be the dream matchup between Mayweather and Pacquiao. He's still the polarizing fighter he was before and the fight only adds to his image.

The same can't be said for Pacquiao. Marquez was able to survive his onslaught of punches and really took it to Pacquiao in the middle rounds. Those watching the fight had to be questioning whether or not Pacquiao could survive against Mayweather.

Mayweather is virtually unhittable and if Marquez could withstand Pacquiao's offense, how could Pacquiao hope to dismantle Mayweather?

The Pacquiao vs. Marquez trilogy makes Pacquiao's record look more impressive, but it ultimately damages his legacy and calls his dominance into question.