Boxer Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines waves to fans from a ring in the lobby of the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada April 8, 2014. Pacquiao will challenge undefeated WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley of the U.S. at the MGM Grand
Boxer Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines waves to fans from a ring in the lobby of the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada April 8, 2014. Pacquiao will challenge undefeated WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley of the U.S. at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 12. The fight is a rematch to a June 9, 2012 fight that Bradley won. REUTERS/Steve Marcus REUTERS

Manny Pacquiao is extra busy these days and it’s not because of his primary sport, boxing or even politics, as a congressman of the Philippines but as a soon-to-be basketball player/coach in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Bob Arum, who is the Filipino’s long-time promoter doesn’t like the idea and calls the basketball stint as an “added distraction”.

“He can’t do both (boxing and basketball),” said Arum via the Manila Bulletin, a local daily in the Philippines.

Arum added that he will try to convince his ward to move the training camp to the United States and ideally avoid the distraction in Pacquiao’s home country.

“We’ll talk to Manny if it is possible that he spend six weeks in Los Angeles,” said Arum in the same article.

The 35-year-old Pacquiao was named the head coach of a club team in the PBA, Kia Motors last June 2014 and will also be one of the draft hopefuls in the league which holds its annual rookie selection on August 24, 2014.

While chasing his basketball dreams, Pacquiao is also set to prepare for his bout against Chris Algieri on November 23, 2014 at the Venetian Casino and Resort in Macau, China. A six-city tour to hype the Pacquiao-Algieri fight is set to start on August 25 while new PBA season will begin on October 19.

Pacquiao has won his last two bouts both via unanimous decision-- against Timothy Bradley in April 2014 and Brandon Rios in November 2013.

Both came via unconvincing fashions however and Arum is probably worried that Pacquiao won’t be focused on an unknown but dangerous Algieri. The 30-year-old American challenger is undefeated in 20 bouts with eight coming by knockout. Pacquiao meanwhile sports 56-5-2 (38 KO) win-loss-draw record.

Despite the possible distractions and worries by Bob Arum, Manny Pacquiao is heavily favoured to win the fight against the underdog Algieri.