Manny Pacquiao’s other passion: Basketball
At 5-6 and 135lbs, Manny Pacquiao isn’t an intimidating figure initially, but the diminuative Filipino may be, pound-for-pound, the toughest boxer on the face of the planet.
Slam Magazine recently interviewed the street-tough fighter about his other passion- basketball. Here’s an excerpt of the interview:
SLAM: Tell us how you got into basketball
Pacquaio: It’s a very popular sport in the Philippines. It’s actually our national sport; we’re just to short to play professionally [laughs].
(Discuss Philippines Basketball in our forum)
SLAM: What position do you play?
Pacquaio: I’m a point guard who scores a lot. I like to shoot three-pointers and drive to the hole. Except sometimes they won’t let me [go to the basket] because I have an upcoming fight.
SLAM: Do you worry about getting hurt when you play basketball?
Pacquaio: No, it’s like when I get in the ring: If I worry about getting hurt, that’s how i’ll end up getting hurt.
SLAM: Which [NBA] players are you friend with
Pacquaio: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Trevor Ariza used to come to the gym in L.A., and Ron Artest was at the gym yesterday.
SLAM: You think any of those guys could box?
Pacquaio: Yes, I think Paul Pierce and Ron Artest could fight. Ron is a big guy!
SLAM: When you retire, are you going to play ball?
Pacquaio: Yes, of course. I’m goint to play basketball ’til I am 50 or 60 years old. It’s my first love — more than boxing — I’m just very, very short.
See a version of the full interview at Slam Online (Pac-man Vs.) or grab the latest issue of Slam Magazine, no. 134 (February 2010).
[...] International Basketball Network [...]
December 26th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Pacquiao wants to submit to any drugtest but he didn’t want USADA to do it, because they compromise with PBF and Golden Boy. According to the news, Pacquiao was concerned that his training will be sabotage if the drugtest body was recommended by Floyd Mayweather and his Promoter. This drug test is easy for Pacquiao if and only if the Blood Testing Body wasn’t recommended by Mayweather nor Golden Boy. I recommend that the NEVADA must be the one who will choose the body who will conduct the blood test. This won’t allow either Pacquiao or Mayweather’s camp to sabotage the result. The truth will be prevailed in the end.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Hau Liu of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California stated, that it does not help athletic performance in any way. Dr. Liu even went as far as to state that it may worsen athletic performance a bit. The study found that HGH does add muscle, but they found that it does not appear to improve strength. They did find that HGH actually caused side effects such as swelling and fatigue. Spread the word. It takes skills, speed, and defense.
New York-based athletic physician, Dr. Keith Pyne, a private injury
consultant for NFL athletes and those who participate in running and
combat sports, told AOL Fanhouse,
“I have more than 800 guys who are special athletes who are all
drug-tested. And the urine testing is sufficient that you won’t
miss anything, especially with performance-enhancing drugs. So, yes,
I believe that the urine testing is more than sufficient for boxing.
If you’re using steroids, it’s going to come up for sure in
urine. There’s no way it’s going to get through the liver and the
kidney without being detected.” If a lot boxers were caught taking up drugs using only urine test for the past decades of boxing, why, a guy named Floyd Mayweather demands test other than what is used before? Is Floyd up to something? Is he planning behind our knowledge, like to sabotage Pacquiao’s training. I agree with blood test and I think Pacquiao too, but let the Nevada state find a blood testing body to conduct the blood test and not came from either Pacquiao or Mayweather’s camp. The funny thing is, due to alot of demands each day, Is Floyd the one who doesn’t want the fight to pursue? And who is Floyd Mayweather to create the rules?
December 27th, 2009 at 2:41 am
Manny Pacquiao should play worldfootball/soccer instead coz he’s too short, heck filipinos should be playing futbol/soccer instead most of them are short but they’re athletic and have good footwork. I thought Philippines nat’l sport was ‘Sepa Takraw”?.It like volleyball but you use your feet.
December 27th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
I usually don’t do commenting. however thanks for this great post and looking forward to more.
January 7th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
I have already been looking looking close to for this kind of information. Will you publish some far more in long run?
January 31st, 2011 at 7:09 pm