PACQUIAO, BOXING AND BASKETBALL
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 29 Sep 2010
Congressman Manny Pacquiao is now training intensively in Baguio City under the watchful eyes of Freddie Roach, the best trainer in the world today. At an altitude of approximately 1500 meters, the City of Pines is an ideal training ground for athletes.
High altitude increases stamina due to low oxygen levels. Being the summer capital of the Philippines, the climate is cooler, more or less similar to that of the United States. On the average, the temperature is 8 degrees Celsius lower than normal temperature of the rest of the country.
The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) is also training their boxers in Baguio City under the watchful eyes of Olympic bronze medalist Roel Velasco. The intensive Baguio training coupled by proper international exposure hope to propel the Philippine boxing team to its first ever Olympic gold in 2012.
Pacquiao has to train in the Philippines to occasionally perform his legislative duties in Congress. It is his principle that sports and politics do mix. He can also function as a representative of Saranggani at the same time train to defend his world number one pound-for-pound crown.
One exciting feature included in the Pacman training regimen is his enthusiasm for playing basketball. According to him, basketball increases stamina and concentration. It?s just like running several kilometers as you go back and forth the basketball gym.
Many were apprehensive that he may get injured because basketball is a running game while body contacts more dangerous than punching sometimes occur during defense in the hoop games. But his opponents in the game were also cautious that they were playing against the Pambansang Kamao who will catch the attention of the whole world and will bring honors to the country again on November 13, 2010.
After boxing, basketball is Pacquiao?s next love. He even played in the semi-professional league Liga Pilipinas with his own team the MP-Gensan Warriors. He made his debut on January 16, 2009 wearing jersey number 17.
Pacquiao became an honorary member of the legendary Boston Celtics and was given a green and white Celtics jersey with his surname on it and number one. In exchange he gave the Celtics autographed boxing gloves.
Boxing and basketball are the passion of the nation. These two popular sports glued the eyes of Filipino fans, everywhere in the world. We were number three in the whole world in basketball during the time of Carlos Loyzaga and company. Now we are nowhere, though Smart-Gilas is trying to rebuild our standing as an Asian power in the sport.
Boxing remains as the number one international achiever for the Philippines. In amateur boxing, the sport is the number one supplier of Olympic medals with two silver and three bronze medals being won. While Pacquiao keeps giving honor and glory for the country as the world?s number one in professional boxing.
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