By Chris Williams: In the span of four years, Manny Pacquiao has won three incredibly controversial decisions against Juan Manuel Marquez in fights that a lot of people felt that Pacquiao deserved to lose. Some boxing fans believe that Pacquiao can’t be beat by a decision because he’s such a huge name and is so important for the sport right now until another fighter is found to replace him.

Pacquiao is facing Tim Bradley tonight in Las Vegas, and there’s concern that Bradley could become another Marquez by fighting well enough to win but then get jobbed when it comes to the decision. I really hope that doesn’t happen because it’s such a downer for the sport to have a fighter get a decision that he doesn’t deserve.

Pacquiao is slowing down whether his trainer Freddie Roach wants to admit it or not. The old legs are starting to show that Pacquiao isn’t a spring chicken anymore. He’s fading and that fact that he’s struggling even against the less than impressive Top Rank fodder that he’s been spoon fed with in his last four fights, it tells you that Pacquiao’s time at the top is short.

The only way I can see the old lion staying at the top is if he keeps getting controversial decision wins over and over again without stop. However, it’s obviously going to erode Pacquiao’s popularity if he keeps winning decisions in which the other guys appears to win. Never fear, I imagine Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum will put him back on a steady diet of beatable Top Rank fighters and things should run a little more smoothly. As long as he stays away from Marquez and other quality fighters like him, I can see Pacquiao maybe last another year before he gets whipped by one of them to the point where judges don’t even matter.