After a grueling 12-day promotional tour intended to boost ticket sales for his upcoming fight against unbeaten Chris Algieri, Manny Pacquiao will immediately start his eight-week training at his gym in General Santos City.
Pacquiao is scheduled to return today from the US and is expected to wind up his pending paperwork in congress before locking himself up in his gym for a serious eight full weeks of training and conditioning for his ring date with Algieri on Nov. 22 in Macau, China. Longtime Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach, who hates unnecessary training distractions during the usual eight-week training period, will have to give Pacquiao a day break on October 19 when the Filipino star try his hand as a point guard and playing coach of Kia Motors, a new member of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Officially, Pacquaio has been accepted as playing coach by the PBA and he needs to be in the opening game and during the the first game of his team against Blackwater, another neophyte in the PBA. Pacquiao’s presence in this important PBA event is not only symbolic but a commitment to his team’s quest for excellence in the season’s team standing. While Roach is expected to oppose Pacquiao’s training break, he has little choice but to give Pacquiao a break. It is possible that Roach, who has a dual Filipino citizenship, could appear with Pacquiao during the KIA-Blackwater PBA game on opening day. Kia Team Manager Eric Pineda, told Manila Standard that Pacquiao will coach the team and will play on opening day. ?Gusto niya kasi first game ng KIA against Blackwater. He will coach and he will play. He has confirmed already and committed with Commissioner (Chito) Salud that he will play,? said Pineda. While on tour, Pacquiao must have been buoyed by news that KIA has won over rival Barangay Genebra in a practice game leading up to the season opening on October 19. Clearly Pacquiao is all fired up with his new role as basketball coach and as a professional basketball player. Fans and supporters have cautioned Pacquiao about mixing boxing and basketball following his announcement that he will continue to fight for one or two more years. But Pacquiao assured his fans he can do both with the same intensity that he had shown in his last two fights. He said he will only take active role as player and coach after his fight against Algieri on Nov. 22.
