• Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez

Pacquiao looks to the future after Marquez defeat

ESPN staff
December 9, 2012

Manny Pacquiao insists he has no intention of retiring after he was knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday night.

With the former eight-weight world champion ahead on all three of the judges' scorecards, Pacquiao was sent crashing to the canvas by a thunderous right from his Mexican opponent at the end of the sixth round - condemning him to back-to-back defeats for the first time in his career.

Pacquiao was sent for a scan and received medical treatment following the fight in Las Vegas, but the Filipino has reassured fans he is in good health and congratulated Marquez on a deserved victory after he finally triumphed in a fourth meeting between the pair.

"I want to congratulate Juan Manuel," Pacquiao said in a statement. "I have no excuses. It was a good fight and he deserved the victory. I think boxing fans who watched us were winners too.

"To all my fans, I would like to thank you for your prayers and assure you that I am fine. I am looking forward to a nice rest and then I will be back to fight."

"I never thought he was going to beat me, even though I feared the knockout when he came at me in those final three rounds," Marquez said in the Guardian. "I was coming on strong, though. When he dropped me, he caught me good, but I was thinking I was going to push hard in the later rounds.

"I fought on the inside sometimes but with a lot of intelligence. This was one of my best victories. I did it for me and I did it for Mexico. It would make me so happy to be there now, celebrating with my countrymen in Mexico City, but I will get there soon."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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