Pacman to train, play, coach at same time

MANILA, Philippines - Unless Manny Pacquiao puts his new-found basketball career aside, he will have to train in Manila for his Nov. 23 clash with unbeaten Chris Algieri in Macau.

Pacquiao has been named head coach of Kia Motors in the Philippine Basketball Association and has applied for the coming rookie draft, meaning he also wants to play in Asia’s first professional league.

He will become only the third Filipino playing-coach in the 40-year history of the PBA.

The 2014 PBA season unfolds Oct. 18. By that time, boxing’s only eight-division champion should be entering the first month of his training for his next fight.

Pacquiao normally trains eight weeks for a fight, and in this case training camp should open around the third week of September.

When he fights in the United States, he trains at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. But when he fought Brandon Rios in Macau last November, he trained mostly in General Santos City.

This time, he may do it all in Manila, and move to Macau just a week or two before he defends his WBO welterweight crown against Algieri at The Venetian Hotel.

It was reported that Pacquiao has plans to put up a boxing ring inside the basketball gym which will serve as Kia Motors’ training quarters for its maiden PBA campaign.

How he can manage to train for the fight and act as playing coach in the PBA will be a great puzzle to many, including his trainer Freddie Roach.

To top it all, he has his congressional duties to attend to. As it is, Pacquiao has earned the reputation of being one of the top absentees in Congress.

But he said he can find ways to have time for everything.

“It’s just time management,” Pacquiao said.

That’s easier said than done.