[VIDEO] Sweet Revenge: Bloodied Marquez Knocks Pacquiao Cold in the Sixth, Ends Rivalry

LAS VEGAS, MGM GRAND — Juan Manuel Marquez put a vicious and thrilling end to his rivalry with Manny Pacquiao with a shocking sixth round, one-punch knockout.

Marquez scored with several left hooks to the body in the opening two rounds but struggled to deal with Pacquiao’s head movement and feints. Pacquiao snapped back Marquez’s head in the second with a left and started to become aggressive with combinations. Marquez would bring Pacquiao’s momentum to a grinding halt in the third with a perfect overhand counter right that deposited Pacquaio flat on his back with over a minute to go. Although Marquez would land another hard right and a left uppercut, he remained wary of Pacquiao’s power, allowing Pacquiao to make it out the round.

The caution continued for both fighters early in the fourth, but it was Pacquiao who was more active despite being caught with another Marquez right. Pacquiao would have his best round in the fifth when he scored a gloved-down knockdown off a counter straight left. Marquez tried to rally but was stung badly by another left hand. Pacquiao unloaded a series on hooks on the ropes, placing Marquez in a precarious position as he refused to hold. At the end of the round, blood gushed from Marquez’s broken nose and swelling was visible above his left eye.

Pacquiao continued finding success in the sixth with straight lefts as Marquez focused on timing another opening for his right hand. Marquez would score with a left uppercut but was on the defensive for most of the round. Pacquiao rushed in for another left to close the bell and ran right into a another right hand, this time putting Pacquiao face-first on the canvas. Referee Kenny Bayless started a brief count before calling the fight off.

At the time of the stoppage, Pacquiao was ahead on all scorecards 48-45.

Yuriorkis Gamboa returned from a 15 month layoff to win a unanimous decision over Michael Farenas despite suffering a knockdown in the ninth. Gamboa scored two knockdowns of his own and was the more active fighter, wining by scores of 117-109, 118-108 an 117-108.

Miguel Angel Vazquez retained his IBF lightweight title with a 12-round, lopsided decision over previously undefeated prospect Mercito Gesta. Using his six-inch reach advantage (75″ to 68) and movement, Vazquez worked off the backfoot and completely neutralized any offense from Gesta. Vazquez landed several hard right crosses and body shots, but for the most part stayed on the move and easily avoided Gesta’s telegraphed left hooks. The final scorecards read 117-111, 118-110 and 119-109.

In the pay-per-view opener, Javier Fortuna took a dull 12-round decision win over Patrick Hyland. Fortuna fought in spots, landing shoeshine hooks on the inside and then spending the majority of the rounds fighting off the backfoot. Hyland had a few good rounds late, particularly the 10th, where he landed good hooks to the body and head. However, Hyland couldn’t get any consistent offense going and was outworked in most rounds. Fortuna captured the WBA interim featherweight title via scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 115-113.

Check back here later for more info on the big news and fallout from tonight’s card.