Public clamor for boxing star Manny Pacquiao to refrain from playing basketball while under contract to do a boxing fight has subsided a bit following his pro debut as playing coach for Kia Sorento last Oct.19, when he played basketball for six minutes.
With a signed contract to face unbeaten boxer Chris Algieri in the ring on Nov. 22, Pacquiao drew widespread opposition from basketball as well as boxing fans for putting his upcoming fight in jeopardy. As stated by veteran sports writer Kevin Iole, Pacquiao could have been injured during the game and caused the stoppage or postponement of his fight with Algieri to the detriment of the people directly or indirectly involved in the promotions of the fight. Iole pointed out that sprained ankle incidents are common in basketball games, citing injuries that NBA players suffer based on a study published in 2010. “A sprained ankle almost certainly would have postponed or canceled the card and would have made a lot of people that he works with in the fight business extraordinarily unhappy,” Iole said. Indeed, Pacquiao could have been injured during his close to seven minutes exposure to the rugged pro basketball game. Thank God he came out safely but his seemingly unwise decision to play with a live boxing contract may have caused boxing stakeholders some sleepless nights. Pacquiao justified his decision to play, saying: “I know dear God will take care of me.? How true indeed as he came unscathed. But what if something happened to him like a sprained ankle injury that will prevent him from complying with his contractual obligations? Pacquiao admitted that basketball is his favorite sport second to boxing. It would be unfair for fans to prevent him from playing the game as he has every right to indulge in it like anyone else. The best time for Pacquiao to play basketball is when he isn’t signed to a specific fight contract. In the case of his live contract to face Algieri in November, he can play basketball all he can but he should do it after his fight. To calm down his fans and supporters, he should refrain from playing basketball the moment he signs a contract to fight his next opponent.
