Even if Manny Pacquiao never fights again ? after beating Timothy Bradley Jr. on Saturday he said he plans to retire ? his legacy is secure.
Not perfect, mind you, but secure. Boxing is a sport that produces more sinners then saints. Pacquiao lies somewhere in the middle.
He?ll go down as one of the greatest fighters of his generation, a certain Hall of Famer and eight division champion who rose from the ranks of the unknown fighting in the Philippines to a major global star.
His high energy and high level of skill in the ring made him a fan favorite. The southpaw attacked opponents from a variety of angles that were hard to counter.
All the while with a wide smile on his face.
Pacquiao?s big breakthrough came in San Antonio on Nov. 15, 2003, when a crowd of 10,127 at the Alamodome watched with delight as Pacquiao, a 4-1 underdog, stunned Marco Antonio Barrera, physically dominating the fighter regarded as the top featherweight in the world en route to an 11th-round TKO victory.
He followed that encounter with major fights against Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao became a pay-per-view attraction, winning titles in four divisions along the way.
In 2008, he defeated Oscar De La Hoya, sending the Golden Boy into retirement and earning the title of megastar. Pacquiao became a major box office attraction, generating a million PPV television buys on a regular basis.
He drew 51,000 fans to the home of the Dallas Cowboys in March 2010 in dominating Joshua Clottey, then followed that up by attracting 42,000 in a win over Antonio Margarito that same year.
There were lows too. In 2012, Pacquiao lost to Timothy Bradley Jr., then was knocked out cold by Marquez just six months later. That loss shattered Pacquiao?s superstar image.
He recovered enough to earn the long-awaited and much-anticipated showdown against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2015. Mayweather balked at the fight for five years, accusing Pacquiao of steroid use.
Pacquiao was no longer at his peak when the two finally stepped in the ring. And the results showed. Mayweather dominated and won easily. The fight failed miserably to live up to the hype, but set numerous box office records.
Pacquiao claimed he had an injured shoulder and failed to tell anyone, an action that angered fight fans and sparked a rash of lawsuits. His image took another hit.
Outside the ring, he sparked more controversy by saying people in same-sex relationships ?are worse than animals.? Nike reportedly ended its contract with the boxer in the aftermath of those comments.
Pacquiao?s legacy is intact, but it?s complex, shaped by fame and fortune, failures and controversy.
He lost the ?Fight of the Century,? a mark that will follow him. There?s the loss to Marquez and the image of Pac-Man knocked out cold lying face-down on the canvas. He ended with a 58-6-2 record with 38 knockouts.
But through it all he came across as a humble warrior who despite growing up penniless rose to the top of his profession, who won a congressional seat in his homeland in order to help millions.
After beating Bradley, rumors started to swirl about a rematch with the retired Mayweather despite Pacquiao?s assurances he was hanging up the gloves.
Pacquiao plans to run for a Senate seat in the Philippines, a campaign that figures to occupy the fighter?s attention.
?Right now, my decision is to retire,? he said after Saturday?s victory.
Right now? His legacy may not be complete after all.
