LAS VEGAS — First Oscar De La Hoya, now Ricky Hatton. The way Manny Pacquiao is handing out beatings, maybe Floyd Mayweather Jr. should have stayed retired.

Pacquiao cemented his claim to being the best pound-for-pound boxer last night with a spectacular performance that ended with Hatton sprawled helplessly on the canvas after a devastating left hand to the head late in the second round.

Coming off a dominating win over De La Hoya, Pacquiao was even better against Hatton, knocking him down two times in the first round before finally stopping him with a vicious left hand that dropped Hatton for good in the 140-pound title bout.

Referee Kenny Bayless took one look at Hatton and declared the fight over at 2:59 of the second round.

"I didn't have to count," Bayless said.

Hatton laid on the canvas for several minutes while doctors tended to him before finally leaving the ring with a wry smile on his face. He was taken to a local hospital for a precautionary brain scan.

Pacquiao was always supposed to be quicker than Hatton, but he was also a lot stronger — and a lot more accurate. He landed 73 of his 127 punches in the fight in a display that had to catch the attention of Mayweather, who earlier in the day said he would return to the ring for a July 18 fight against Juan Manuel Marquez.

Hatton, meanwhile, connected on only 18 of 78 punches, according to ringside stats.

"I'm surprised the fight was so easy," Pacquiao said. "He was wide open for the right hook. I knew he would be looking for my left."

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 knockouts) earned $12 million for the fight, while Hatton (45-2) was paid $8 million.