LAS VEGAS ? Manny Pacquiao was still smiling when he was led to his dressing room Saturday moments after suffering what could very much likely signal the end of an era.
Pacquiao, who had been knocked out cold by Juan Manuel Marquez in the sixth round, didn?t spend much time there as he was brought to a local hospital for the customary checkup for a fighter who suffers a beating or a knockout.
?But somebody said his smile was forced,? noticed Greg Bishop of The New York Times, who spent more than two hours inside Pacquiao?s dressing room before the fight together with this writer.
It didn?t really look like Pacquiao was down and dejected as he was still sporting a smile during an interview moments after absorbing his second career knockout loss.
The Marquez kayo was Pacquiao?s third loss in that fashion, the first was in 1996 when he got flattened by Rustico Torrecampo after coming in overweight.
The second was in Sept. 1999 when he defended the World Boxing Council flyweight crown versus Medgoen 3K Battery in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, although it was a body blow that ended the fight.
Pacquiao was still at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada awaiting examination while deadline-beaters from around the world were still pounding the keys of their computer.
Fred Sternburg, Pacquiao?s publicist, said it would take some time before the fallen fighter will be released since his tests will have to be okayed by the doctors.
Pacquiao was down in the third round after taking a Marquez wallop but came back strongly, sending the Mexican down in the fifth round from a left straight and bloodying his nose.
It looked like Pacquiao was in command in the sixth round when the roof suddenly cave in.
Pacquiao?s feet was already bouncy and was looking forward to the opening of the seventh frame when he was struck with Marquez?s thunderbolt.
