Their first fight ended in controversy, and the rematch, a clear victory.

Yet Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. will fight each other for the third time on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in an effort to settle the score once and for all.

The American Bradley won a highly controversial split decision when they first fought in June 2012 – a result so widely derided that the WBO ordered a review of the fight, wherein all five judges scored in favor of Pacquiao.

Two years later, they met in a rematch, with Bradley determined to prove his first win was no fluke, and Pacquiao out to get his revenge. In the April 2014 bout, the "Pacman" dominated, clearly out-classing Bradley en route to a unanimous decision victory.

In both fights, Pacquiao threw fewer punches but landed considerably more of them. The Filipino connected on 34% of his punches in the first bout as opposed to Bradley's 19%; he connected on 35% of punches in the second, while Bradley connected on 22%.

Bradley, however, has insisted that he is a changed fighter now, thanks in part to the presence of his new trainer, Teddy Atlas. Meanwhile, Pacquiao is coming off an 11-month lay-off, necessitated by surgery from the shoulder injury that he suffered against Floyd Mayweather last May.

The trilogy bout against Bradley may also serve as Pacquiao's farewell fight in boxing: the Filipino icon has indicated that he intends to retire after the match, in order to focus on his political career.

"It's really important for me to win this fight, to win convincingly. It's part of my legacy," Pacquiao said in Wednesday's press conference.

Bradley, for his part, is looking forward to finally earning a decisive victory over Pacquiao – and like the Filipino, he believes it is crucial for his own legacy in the sport.

"For me, this is a legacy fight. I'm getting a third crack at it," he said. "I'm ready, and if I'm going to win this fight, it's now. It's now. I'm ready for everything."

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