Manny Pacquiao gestures to the crowd after losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their welterweight unification bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

DPA/Manila

The cheering crowd turned quiet and burst into boos as Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao lost by unanimous decision to American Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Some cursed, while others cried as they began to quietly leave the public plaza where the 12-round bout was shown live for free in front of the Quiapo Church in Manila.
“Pacquiao did not lose that fight, he was cheated by that bald guy,” said an angry Bryan Visaya, 34, one of those who watched the fight from Plaza Miranda at Quiapo.
“Pacquiao was clearly the better boxer in that fight. He should have won!”
Visaya was one of millions of Filipinos disappointed and saddened by the outcome of the bout in Las Vegas, dubbed as the “fight of the century.”
While boxing fans grudgingly bowed their head when Pacquiao was knocked out by Mexican fighter Juan Manuel Marquez in December 2012, the same could not be said for the loss with Mayweather.
Many said the defeat was nothing to be ashamed about, and hailed the 36-year-old Filipino southpaw fighter as the winner in the fight.
“Pacquiao is truly the people’s champ,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda tweeted. “He fought for respect, not points. He won the hearts of the world.”
Mayweather, 38, won his 48th straight victory and remained unbeaten as he overcame Pacquiao’s aggressive boxing by moving around the ring, avoiding a toe-to-toe brawl with the Filipino boxer.
At the end, Mayweather won by points, but even Pacquiao thought he did the better job.
“I thought I won the fight,” Pacquiao said after the fight. “He didn’t do nothing, always run. I got him many times.”
Filipinos cheered, jumped on their feet and chanted “Manny! Manny!
Manny!” as Pacquiao sent a flurry of punches at Mayweather.
Stomping their feet and throwing their fists into the air, the boxing fans jeered when Mayweather’s punches landed on their idol.
“There should be a rematch,” said Jerry Manggalo, a 19-year-old cold drinks vendor at Plaza Miranda. “I don’t understand how Mayweather won that fight because it was Pacquiao who did the boxing.”
“Mayweather merely ran around the ring!” he said, shaking his head.
Fans from around the world took to social media sites to express their displeasure over the decision.
“History made today. In a boxing fight, a dancer won and a boxer lost,” tweeted Malaysian Alfred Juan Anthony.
“Stand proud, people of the Philippines. The world salutes your champion,” said Anita Mendiratta, an international tourism and development adviser.
Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone also hailed Pacquiao as “the single bravest and most exciting fighter to ever lace on gloves.”
“No one comes close. Seen them all!” he tweeted.
Even a Filipino fan of Mayweather said the Philippines should be proud of Pacquiao despite the defeat.
“The world looks up to Filipinos because of the Pacman,” said Rollen Purificacion, 45. “We would not have been famous in boxing if not for Pacquiao. There is no shame in his defeat.”
In the middle of pro-Pacquiao fans, Purificacion flashed a banner saying, “Go Floyd! 48-0,” after Mayweather was announced the winner.
“I like Mayweather’s style, but I’m a Filipino by heart. Pacquiao is still my hero. He’s our hero,” he said.