De la Hoya seemed well beyond his prime, unable to offer any answer to the punches Pacquiao landed almost at will.
His left eye was closed as he sat on his stool after the eighthround and the ring doctor, referee and his cornermen discussed hiscondition.
The former six-weight world champion offered no complaints whenhis corner decided he had had enough, getting up from his stool andwalking to the centre of the ring to congratulate Pacquiao.
"I felt empty, without power," said De la Hoya. "I tried to goforward but Pacquiao's leg speed and movement didn't allow me toconnect with anything."
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I just don't have it any more. My heart still wants to fight, but when you physically can't respond, what can you do?
Oscar de la Hoya
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Two of the three ringside judges scored all eight rounds for Pacquiao,while a third gave De la Hoya - who was taken to a hospital forprecautionary reasons after the fight - only the first round.Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 knockouts) came up two weight classes to fightfor his biggest purse ever, while De la Hoya was having his first fightat 147lb in seven years.
Though De la Hoya (39-6) towered over Pacquiao and had a bigreach advantage, Pacquiao had no trouble getting inside what few jabsthe American threw to land his shots.
"We knew we had him after the first round," said Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, who also handles Britain's Amir Khan.
"He had no legs, he was hesitant and he was shot."
Roach trained De la Hoya in his last big fight a year ago andsaid his former charge could no longer throw punches when he neededthem.
"Freddie, you're right," De la Hoya told his former trainer after the fight.
"I just don't have it any more. My heart still wants to fight, that's for sure.
"But when you physically can't respond, what can you do? I have to be smart and make sure I think about my future plans."
Pacquiao's victory sets up a potential clash with Manchester'slight-welterweight king Ricky Hatton next summer, although FloydMayweather Jr may also be tempted to come out of retirement to facehim.
"I know Ray Hatton," said Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum. "We'llsit down, we'll talk, that's probably the most logical fight to be made- Manny against Ricky Hatton at 140lb.
"Obviously Manny would want to fight at 140 and so would Ricky.That's probably number one on the drawing board. But let the kid have agreat Christmas and New Year, then we'll sit down to business."
Hatton, ringside for the fight, said: "Manny's proved againthat he's pound-for-pound the number one in the sport and I still mightget my dream of becoming the best pound-for-pound fighter in theworld."
