Manny Pacquiao Refuses to Derail Basketball Career While Training for Mayweather Superfight
Filipino eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao has continued to play and coach Philippine professional basketball in the midst of training for his fight with undefeated American fighter Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in the spring.
Manny Pacquiao, who has a seat in Philippine House of Representatives, is also a playing coach for the Kia Motors Philippine Basketball Association team. According to Filipino news site, ABS-CBN Pacquiao is adamant about remaining part of the team, and is currently gearing up for a game against Talk N' Text while in the middle of training for his May 2 fight with Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
According to Pacquiao, his basketball games will serve as "cross training" to help him with "footwork and balancing." This was announced despite the PBA and KIA releasing a statement they intend to give Pacquiao a much-needed break to focus on training for the Mayweather bout.
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"This is for the country. I'm sure our PBA fans will be gracious and understanding given this big challenge that our Pambansang Kamao (National Fist) will be facing," Kia official Ginia Domingo told the Philippine Star.
However, Pacquiao has insisted on remaining on court to maintain his momentum. Last Wednesday he scored his first PBA point on the free throw line to help his team win against Purefoods Star 95-84.
How the distraction of basketball will help him defeat the undefeated Mayweather presents a puzzle only Pacquiao can answer. For the first time in over a decade, the WBO welterweight champ has been placed in the underdog position in what is being dubbed the "fight of the century."
The May 2 Las Vegas betting odds will be held in favor of 38-year-old Mayweather, who holds a record of 47 wins with zero losses. Pacquiao, on the other hand has a 57-5 win-loss record, including a career-leveling knock-out from Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012.
