Pac-Man goes from boxing ring to basketball court

MANILA (Philippine Basketball Association) - In the Philippines, there is a huge appetite for basketball.

Most people like to watch the sport and many want to play it.

That includes Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, who started for KIA Sorento in a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) game over the weekend and played seven minutes in the team's 80-66 triumph over Blawater Elite.

The fans hoping to see Pacquiao, who is actually a player/coach, in action again on the hardwood will have to wait a while because he is turning his full attention back to the sweet science.

The 35-year-old 'Pac-Man' who was named Fighter of the Decade for the 2000s by the Boxing Writers' Association of America, World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization, has to focus on his WBO Welterweight title defense.

In Macau on 22 November, Pacquiao will square off against American Chris Algieri, a pugilist who has so far not lost a bout.

Pacquiao is not the first boxer to play baskeball. Roy Jones Jr did so back in 1996 on the same day he had a fight.

Pacquiao is always in good shape and that can at least partly be attributed to the fact that he plays a lot of basketball.

Algieri was asked about his next opponent's desire to play hoops.

"A lot of people ask me about his basketball and if that's what he chooses to do, that's fine," he said.

"As long as he doesn't get hurt, I don't really care."

Pacquiao has been thinking a lot about his title defense.

He even sparred the day before his PBA debut.

FIBA