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Patience has paid off for UFC fighter Cain Velasquez

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UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez isn’t accustomed to sitting around and living the life of a couch potato.

That created a challenge for him after he underwent surgery in January for a major tear of his right rotator cuff and doctors strictly limited his physical activity. He had to talk himself into being patient and obeying their orders, trading short-term frustration for the promise of long-term gain.

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‘It took five months of not doing anything,’ said Velasquez, known for his devotion to working out and the hours he spends in the gym. ‘It was hard, but I knew the less I did the faster I would come back, and I have.’

Velasquez, who won his title with a first-round technical knockout of Brock Lesnar at Honda Center last October, said he is on track for a return to the scene of his triumph Nov. 12. He is scheduled to fight top contender Junior dos Santos in a five-round bout that is to headline the first UFC card broadcast on Fox.

Velasquez, a native of Salinas, said he has no doubts about his shoulder as he prepares for his bout.

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‘The shoulder feels good. Training is going good,’ he said by phone Wednesday. ‘I’m doing hard workouts and my body feels good. I feel ready and confident for my upcoming fight. ‘I had a lot of trust in my doctors. I just followed their instructions through the rehab and I just slowly felt the progress from the beginning of how much better it was getting, up until I got back into the weight room and got things back to where I was before. My body is 100%.’

While he healed, he said he went on promotional appearances for the UFC and spent time with his family, which includes his 2½-year-old daughter, Coral.

‘That kind of kept my head from being too down, being around my family and being positive with them,’ he said. ‘They helped me through it.’

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-- Helene Elliott

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