THE Philippines’ boxing icon Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao arrived on Wednesday in Manila and vowed to “rise again” after being defeated by long time Mexican archrival Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2, the 33-year-old Pacquiao told the media that his boxing career is not yet over.

“We will come back strong and rise again,” said Pacquiao, who also thanked his fans for their support despite the loss. “I really appreciated the support of my countrymen. I’m happy.”

 “We did our very best but that’s boxing. You do not expect what might happen,” said Pacquiao. “We were hit but we will rise from that defeat. This is not my last.”

Pacquiao, who will turn 34 on December 17, said that he wants to face the Mexican once again and he will give his best shot for the sake of his countrymen who cheer and support him throughout the years.

“I was sad when I saw some of my countrymen cry. But don’t worry, we will return strong,” he added.

“Nais kong pasalamatan ang pinakitang suporta ng ating mga kababayang Pilipino dun sa nakaraang laban ko. Ginawa natin ang lahat ng ating makakaya, hindi naman tayo nabugbog o kung ano. In fact lamang pa nga tayo, but talagang ganun ang boxing may disgrasya talaga.

Pag dumating yung panahon na ganitong sitwasyon, eh kailangang buong pusong tanggapin [I would like to thank my countrymen for their support. I did my best, but that’s boxing. We have to accept it],” he said.

Pacquiao admitted that he became emotional after he learned that many of his Filipino fans wept upon his defeat.

“Naging emotional ako. Minsan napapaiyak ako dahil nakita ko yung pamilya ko na nasasaktan at ayaw kong makita silang nasasaktan. Napanood ko sa balita na maraming umiyak. Nasaktan sila.

Gusto ko mapasaya ko palagi ang kababayan natin, ang aking mga fans [I became emotional.

Sometime I burst into tears because I saw that my family was hurt and I don’t want to see them hurt. I learned that many of my fans cried. I want to bring joy to my fans],” he added.

Pacquiao, who represents the province of Sarangani at the House of Representatives, also said that he will donate P10 million to the victims of Typhoon Pablo (international codename: Bopha) in Mindanao.

The Filipino champ, who has 54 wins, five defeats and two draws, in nearly 18 years in the pro ring, had lost his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown in June on a controversial points decision to unbeaten US fighter Timothy Bradley.

But retirement appeared far from his mind despite calls from his mother and some groups that he stop fighting and focus on politics.

“I watched a replay of my fight and I am satisfied with my movement,” Pacquiao said.

“I was fighting very well from the first to the sixth round. I was moving well. It was just that I got hit with a lucky punch on the last second of the round. The way the fight was going, there was no way it would have reached the 12th round,” he said.

He cited how he had broken the Mexican’s nose, leaving him with breathing difficulties that Pacquiao claimed had forced his foe to remove his mouthpiece at one point.

But Pacquiao acknowledged: “He owned that night. Let’s give him due credit.”

Former world champion Ricky Hatton, who was knocked out by Pacquiao in May 2009, added his voice to calls for the Filipino to hang up his gloves.

“The only advice I could give Manny Pacquiao is that his legacy is already secured,” said the Briton, a former world light-welterweight and welterweight champion who retired for a second time last month.

“The thing is with us fighters is that there is always one more fight,” the 34-year-old told Agence France-Presse during a visit to Hong Kong.

“What’s he [Pacquiao] going to achieve by having one more fight? Probably nothing. He’s an eight-weight world champion. There’s nothing more to be said.”

Hatton, who was knocked out in a failed return to the ring in November, in what he said was his last fight, said to his Filipino rival: “You’d like to see him go into retirement and spend some time with his family and be happy.

“He can’t do any more from a boxing point of view.”

With reports from AFP and Benjie Vergara