Is This the End for Manny Pacquiao?

That strange feeling of defeat. It creeps down on you, forcing your tears up your tear duct, causes you to feel down and look forward to what could be ahead of the dark road in front. Yes, you have felt that feeling. But have you felt that feeling for someone not even blood-related or who does not even know you personally? At a certain time in your life, yes you have and just recently, Filipinos and some hardcore boxing fans felt the same when they saw their hero fall face-first into the canvass, not showing any life (for 20 seconds) and not beating the mandatory 10 counts.

Yes, Manny Pacquiao has fallen. Down and counted out. Defeated. The whole Philippines held their breath hoping he would rise up and still fight with what remains of him (some may have rejoiced with the scene, honestly, because they just want to hate people), but he didn't. He couldn't.

The last time I saw this scene was in 1999, I was in Grade School back then, when a lanky, undernourished Manny Pacquiao succumbed to the hands of Medgoen Singsurat. Yes, I have been a Pacquiao fan for a long-time growing up with my father in control of the remote watching boxing or basketball for most times. I've been glued to watching this guy for sometime. No internet connection conveniently available at hand before, I relied on 2-3 month old replays of fights and the newspaper for updates.

For 13 years, he kept an aura of invincibility. Losing but never knocked out cold. He was a hero and a model to many, a villain to some. He was the mold, each new Filipino fighters want to be. Every up-and-comer getting dubbed as the "New Manny Pacquiao", but falls in comparison and fails in the bright lights of the big stage. Pacquiao was the "man" for the past years. He kept raking in wins, championships and belts, and winning millions (cash and fans) in the process.

But all along we knew he won't be the best for long. Somewhere, sometime, somehow, someone will come knocking to be given the chance to give his best against the champ. Many have tried, but few have succeeded. Juan Manuel Marquez, was the closest thing to doing that for the past years. He was the Kryptonite to Pacquiao's Superman skills. Pacquiao was Samson, Marquez had any sharp object capable of cutting Samson's hair. 

3 fights happened between both fighters, but none of the fight results (all decisions: Split Draw, Split Decision and Majority Decision) felt satisfying to both fighters and to the fans all over the world, the 4th fight had to happen. Then it came. The day of reckoning. One of the fighters wanted to prove one thing, that they could knock the socks off the other. That one of them was the better fighter from the other.  The world held their breath as the fight started. Trading punches and power blows, and even trading knockdowns, it was clear that both fighter's style complimented each other. And then the BIG ONE. 2 seconds before the round 6 ends, Pacquiao darts forward to attack Marquez, only to meet a big right hitting him straight in the face, causing him to fall and never to make the count.

Jubilation for the Mexicans. Grief for the Filipinos. This was what's left of the scene. A "hero" lying helpless and lifeless. A "hero" who has darted to different weight divisions over the past years, capturing titles in 8 weight divisions defeating guys bigger than him couldn't even muster enough strength to move. A "hero" who has taken all comers and contenders for years, knocking them out with all of what his got, can't barely even move his head sideways. He laid flat face-first in the canvass, a scene that was a sign of doom. When the dust settled, Marquez has won via a very devastating knockout that could be a potential Knockout of the Year Awardee. Our hero, after gaining the strength to stand up, smiled and accepted the pain of defeat.

Is This the End for Manny Pacquiao? The simplest answer to that was accurately answered by promoter Bob Arum and it goes "Losing a fight, getting knocked out is NOT death. You can always come back.". Does he still have something left in the tank to come back? Even with the defeat, Manny Pacquiao still has a lot left in the tank. He has at least 2-3 fights left against premium opponents. It is up to him if he still wants to continue this. For us, we've been satisfied with what he has shown. He has united a nation and proven a lot of things.

For now, think it over. If you ever decide to fight again, we will back you up. If you ever decide to hang it up, all I have to say is that, nice decision, Champ. :)