Timothy Bradley was not the only fighter to receive a boost from his victory of the great Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday night. In an indirect, but very real way, Manny Pacquiao also benefited from the outcome of the fight.
Marquez is Pacquiao’s biggest rival, and the man against whom he shall be most often judged. Fighters are measured against their greatest opponents. But the analysis does not end with a simple stat listing what the two men have done against each other. Evander Holyfield lost his trilogy to Riddick Bowe. When their careers are seen in the bigger picture, however, Holyfield is a clear Hall-of-Famer, while Bowe is thought of as a very good fighter who had held the title.