Pacquiao playing basketball daily prior to Rios fight in November

While watching TFC (The Filipino Channel) TV Patrol tonight, ABS-CBN's sports correspondent Dyan Castillejo reported an interview of Manny Pacquiao after a break from playing basketball. Pacquiao told that he forget already the devastating loss that he suffered from his Mexican rival, Juan Manuel Marquez.

Pacquiao told that Rios is a good fight, "Kagaya ng pagkatalo ko dati noong nag uumpisa pa lang ako... babalik ako..." (Like my first defeat when I was just started... (boxing) I will come back...). "Sikap at tiyaga lang talaga" (It's just really diligence and perseverance).

The Filipino boxing icon is playing basketball daily in his residence in Southern Philippines to stay sharp and maintain stamina prior to his preparation for training for a fight against Brandon Rios in November. Aside from boxing, Pacquaio also loves to play basketball. He told in an interview before that if he had the height he would prefer basketball rather than boxing.

Playing basketball really improves stamina because it is more on running. But I blame basketball for Pacquaio's claim of cramp calves. Basketball not only plain running. It includes jumping running in a continuous changing direction that create strain in the ankle and calves.

I'm nagging about this not as an expert in cross-training but I speak through my experience. I'm a basketball addict too. When I played a lot basketball, lets say two games in a row. I started to feel cramps in my calves.

Do you think playing basketball really has more benefit than risk for Pacquiao?