By Patrick Connor

Official records will say Manny Pacquiao went 2-1 in his three fights against Tim Bradley, though in a sane world even a second fight may not have been necessary, much less a third. 

But the third fight confirmed that boxing is both peculiar and prescient, with a three-round sequence serving as a perfect microcosm of the Filipino icon's career. 

After being floored briefly in the 7th, Bradley had his best moments of the night in round eight with several left hooks that drove a stunned Pacquiao to the ropes. Emboldened, Bradley pressed his apparent advantage in the 9th and a Pacquiao left hand knocked him down much harder this time, as evidenced by Bradley's backward somersault on the canvas.

Those three rounds summed up why Pacquiao is beloved at home and abroad: his style is somewhat reckless and he is therefore vulnerable, and that vulnerability makes him human and easier to relate to. 

But the ability to consistently overcome his own weaknesses makes him great. When pushed, he pushes back harder with something damaging. 

Managing to somehow harness chaos in the ring is what launched Pacquiao to stardom in the U.S. after already being popular in the Philippines. He truly arrived with a 2003 destruction of Marco Antonio Barrera. 

It was concussive even then, but the Philippines had already been placed on the boxing map 80 years earlier. In 1923, Francisco Guilledo—known as "Pancho Villa"—defeated aging legend Jimmy Wilde, crushing him with a single right hand to become the first Filipino world champion. 

As a teenager, Villa escaped the canebrakes of Iloilo and found his way to Manila, arriving at the capital "ragged and hungry." He then hooked up with with someone who ran an amateur boxing gym. He became famous for his punching power and tenacity before traveling to the U.S. and thriving as an exotic attraction. 

The New York Times described his rise as "meteoric." The narrative seems familiar because it largely mirrors that of Manny Pacquiao. 

Villa passed away unexpectedly in 1925 and failed to realize his potential. But Pacquiao has risen through various weight classes to become an all-time great fighter and international celebrity. Whether or not the third fight against Bradley truly was the final bout of Pacquiao's career, the Filipino made an indelible mark on the sport and punched his card to Canastota years ago. 

The win over Barrera gave Pacquiao his second lineal title, an impressive feat. That the win came against a heavily-favored version of Barrera made Pacquiao's triumph extraordinary. 

In the nearly 13 years since that win, Pacquiao has been a favored in all but two fights—against Floyd Mayweather and Oscar de la Hoya—underscoring how appealing and effective his style could be. 

There was no ignoring that Pacquiao brought an entertaining featherweight era to a close in the mid-2000s by toppling Barrera and Erik Morales, and running Juan Manuel Marquez through a meat grinder en route to a draw. Pacquiao, Marquez, Barrera and Morales were their era's "Fab Four," and Pacquiao is the only one with wins over the three others. 

The devastation he caused did not subside as Manny ascended through loaded weight classes. If he wasn't halting Ricky Hatton, De la Hoya and Miguel Cotto, he was thumping Antonio Margarito, Shane Mosley and Bradley over the distance. Very few name fighters were safe.

It took drastic measures to defeat "Pac Man." Morales turned in the performance of his career to beat Manny in 2005; he paid dearly for it with two stoppage defeats in rematches. Bradley was given a helping hand by the judges in 2012 and also suffered two defeats in return. Marquez had to survive 41 rounds with Pacquiao before knocking him out. 

Floyd Mayweather Jr. was the only one to easily beat Pacquiao.

Right or wrong, it was the feud with Mayweather that defined the last few years of Pacquiao's career. Unfortunately, that is where his legacy takes a hit. 

Both fighters were responsible for failing to make the fight until it was far less meaningful that it should have been. But Pacquiao's sleepy loss in the fight can't be ignored when taking a side on the "Manny or Floyd" debate. 

What may ultimately nudge Pacquiao ahead in the argument is his perceived role as the good guy to Mayweather's villain. But there is no question both men picked up where Roy Jones Jr. and Oscar de la Hoya left off in the mid-2000s. As premiere attractions, they pushed the sport much further than anyone else. 

No matter what separates Pacquiao from Mayweather, history will remember Pacquiao with more fondness for what he was willing to give to win. Floyd stayed undefeated, yes, but Manny had the audacity to take risks find out what his upper limit might be, and that made for far more entertaining fights. 

Pacquiao may or may not be done with boxing. But if he is, his role will eventually be filled. After all, he is but one link in a chain of Filipino legends like Villa, Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, Ceferino Garcia, Small Montana, Ben Villaflor and more. 

Pacquiao may just be grandest among them, though.