Thousands of Parañaque boxing fans disperse in 5 minutes after Pacquiao loss

Filipinos look stunned after seeing Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao was knocked out by Mexican Juan Manual Marquez during a live TV broadcast at a multi-purpose hall in suburban Parañaque, on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012. It took only about five minutes for a crowd of more than 2,000 Parañaque residents to disperse after Marquez defeated the Filipino champ. AP PHOTO/AARON FAVILA

MANILA, Philippines—It took only about five minutes for a crowd of more than 2,000 Parañaque residents to disperse after Juan Manuel Marquez stunned the Filipino champ Manny Pacquiao with a right-hand blow before the end of the sixth round of their fourth boxing faceoff on Sunday.

Gathered at the Parañaque City Hall grounds along San Antonio Avenue, the male-dominated crowd was in complete silence when Pacquiao lay motionless, face down on the ring. Most of the people got worried when the People’s Champ was still unconscious a minute after he fell. They became more troubled when Pacquiao’s wife, Jinkee, started crying at ringside.

But after seeing Pacquiao regain his senses, the residents started flocking out of the city hall grounds, most of them grumbling about Marquez’s unexpected knockout win against the Filipino pride.

City Councilor Benjo Bernabe, before the fight, told the people that the local government decided to give the people a free screening of the fight because Pacquiao has been considered as an “adopted son of Parañaque” due to his achievements and his real estate properties in the locality.

“To show our support to Manny, we also organized a free viewing of this fight in three other barangays (villages) namely Baclaran, Don Bosco and Don Galo,” Bernabe said.

Mayor Jun Bernabe in a statement said days before the fight that the local government and the whole Parañaque would always “pray for Pacquiao’s success and cheer for him in all his fights.”

In 2005, the city council adopted Pacquiao as a “son of Parañaque” by virtue of a resolution recognizing his achievements and the fame and honor he has brought to the Philippines.