While Filipinos here and abroad were celebrating the recent success of Manny Pacquiao, a fellow boxer has been fighting for his life in a Las Vegas hospital.

World-rated bantamweight contender Z Gorres remains in critical condition after collapsing inside the ring soon after he was announced the winner of his bout the night before Pacquiao's spectacular 12th round TKO win over Miguel Cotto.

Gorres, 27, won handily in all three judges as he dominated Colombian foe Luis Melendez in their 10-round match at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, the official hotel of Pacquiao.

Gorres however got floored with a strong left straight a few seconds before the 10th and final round ended.

Gorres got up on wobbly legs but survived the bout as he clinched until the final bell sounded.

As they were celebrating the win in their corner, Gorres fainted and eventually collapsed. He was rushed to the state-operated University Medical Center where he underwent operation to relieve pressure on his swollen brain. Part of his skull had to be removed during the surgical procedure, some reports say.

The latest report gathered by The Bulletin is that Gorres is improving but further assessment will be made within 48 hours.

"Initially they gave him a 20% chance to survive but as of now he is still critical but stable. His doctors said the next 48 hours will be crucial for him," said Las Vegas-based trainer Tony Martin.

Martin's Filipina wife Yvonne works as a nurse in Las Vegas and has been monitoring the development of Gorres.

"It helps that he is young and is a disciplined athlete. We're hopeful he can pull through the next 48 hours," said Yvonne in a separate interview. "There were movements noticed in his left eyelid and left fingers which is giving us great hope."

Yvonne said Gorres will most likely undergo several months of rehabilitation, something which the boxer’s benefactor Tony Aldeguer said he wouldn’t mind as long as it will lead to his fighter's full recovery.