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Freddie Roach: Retirement, fifth fight against Juan Manuel Marquez both options for Manny Pacquiao

LAS VEGAS – Manny Pacquiao did not appear at the post-fight news conference Saturday after being knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez with one second left in the sixth round before 16,348 people in their welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden.

Pacquiao was taken to a local hospital for a CAT scan after the brutal knockout. The Filipino congressman had missed a right hand near the end of the round and was cracked by a perfect counter right that sent him face first to the canvas.

He fell in his own corner, just feet away from Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who was seated with his wife, Ann, at ringside.

[Related: Juan Manuel Marquez knocks Manny Pacquiao out cold in sixth round]

Pacquiao lay motionless for several moments on the mat before he was helped to a sitting position. Pacquiao, who was leading 47-46 on all three cards at the time of the knockout, walked from the ring under his own power.

Trainer Freddie Roach said he wants to see Pacquiao work in the gym again before green-lighting him to resume his career. Roach said if he sees signs of decline, he would advise Pacquiao to hang up the gloves.

"Possible retirement, possible rematch; I'm not sure which way we're going to go right now," Roach said. "It really depends upon how he feels and what he wants to do. We'll get back in the gym and if I see signs of decline, I'll tell him to retire. If I don't, I'll tell him to go on."

Later, Roach suggested he thought Pacquiao would be able to continue to fight, if he so chose.

"I don't think we're at that point yet," Roach said. "But we have to see how he feels and what he wants to do. I'll definitely tell him to retire if he's not able to do it in the gym, but we have to see."

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