Cain Velasquez confident ahead of third fight with Junior Dos Santos
Cain Velasquez might have fallen to one of Junior Dos Santos’ best punches in their first meeting, but Velasquez’s five-round beating of Dos Santos in their rematch gives him confidence about their third fight.
Stopping at downtown’s Club Nokia on Tuesday as part of the UFC World Tour, Velasquez (11-1) said he expected to beat Dos Santos (16-2) again when they fight Oct. 19 in Houston.
“This fight, this sport, there’s always a bunch of changes -- that’s what the first fight proved,” Velasquez said. “That’s why everything has to be on point. He does hit hard, one good punch it could all be over.
“But I know his style of fighting, know what he wants to do. My strategy worked well last time. And we’re going to work even harder this fight.”
Dos Santos said he planned to alter his performance in the December 2012 fight, in which he was unable to find Velasquez with the big blow and was outdone in wrestling.
“Everything, I have to do different, but I will be ready to beat him again,” Dos Santos said.
Velasquez, who turned 31 Sunday, said he’s driven to keep the belt after losing it in his first defense last time.
“I don’t want it taken away from me,” Velasquez said. “All those emotions I felt without the belt -- anger, not being in a good spot in life, feeling like something was missing in my life. That fuels me.”
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