MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- Manny Pacquiao has already achieved what most of his countrymen can only dream of: lifting himself out of wrenching poverty, securing a future for his children and becoming a hero to Filipinos the world over.

Not content with just winning in the ring, Pacquiao also set about making his mark in politics.

But after his stunning loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas on Saturday, the 34-year-old is facing some of the toughest questions of his remarkable 17-year career: does his future lay in boxing, politics, show business, religion, or perhaps there's even a new challenge on the horizon?

''Being the king of boxing, being the highest paid athlete in boxing ... it goes with the territory,'' boxing analyst Ed Tolentino said. ''For Pacquiao, the fame was too much to handle. There was just too many things on his plate other than boxing.''

The distraction was costly for Pacquiao, who trained for two months, compared to 4 1/2 for Marquez.

Saturday's loss to Marquez, whom he had beaten twice and drawn once, only made the question more urgent, although Pacquiao made no mention of a possible retirement.

''Among boxers, they don't have the word retirement in their dictionary. It's so hard to admit that all of sudden it's over, especially for Pacquiao,'' Tolentino said.

''His demotion was from the penthouse to the doghouse,'' he added. ''I think really there has to be a lot of soul searching. ... He has to consult his family, his real entourage.''

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Associated Press writer Oliver Teves contributed to this report.