Cain Will Take a Title Fight If It’s Offered
Greg Savage Jun 19, 2009
Cain
Velasquez put a terrible beating on Cheick Kongo
at UFC 99 in Cologne, Germany, this past weekend, but he is wholly
unsatisfied by his performance, according to trainer Bob Cook.
“Cain is his own harshest critic,” said Cook of his heavyweight charge. “He expects so much from himself and he was not happy with his performance.”
Cook sees it a little differently. The American Kickboxing trainer
saw the bout as a positive for both fighters.
“A lot of guys would have found a way to turn their back and lift up their chin when they figured out they weren’t going to be able to get back up and it was going to be a 15-minute beating,” said Cook, showing respect for the toughness Kongo displayed. “And Cain showed a good chin, heart and that he can compete with better competition.”
Cook’s fellow trainer, Javier Mendez, has been trumpeting the fact that Velasquez is still a bit green and needs time to develop. Kongo may have highlighted that fact more lucidly than Mendez has to date by dropping the former PAC-10 wrestler of the year to open each of the first two rounds of their three-round scrap.
“Cain is working hard on his standup, and that is something that he will continue to improve on,” Cook said. “We know what he can do well and what he has to keep improving on.”
As for who may be next for the bruising heavyweight, Cook seemed hopeful that fellow prospect Shane Carwin might be next on the docket but said they would be more than happy to fight for the title if the UFC were so inclined to offer a shot.
“We are going to fight whoever [the UFC] puts in front of us,” Cook said. “Would it be better to get some more fights? Sure, but we understand this is a business.”
“Cain is his own harshest critic,” said Cook of his heavyweight charge. “He expects so much from himself and he was not happy with his performance.”
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“A lot of guys would have found a way to turn their back and lift up their chin when they figured out they weren’t going to be able to get back up and it was going to be a 15-minute beating,” said Cook, showing respect for the toughness Kongo displayed. “And Cain showed a good chin, heart and that he can compete with better competition.”
Cook’s fellow trainer, Javier Mendez, has been trumpeting the fact that Velasquez is still a bit green and needs time to develop. Kongo may have highlighted that fact more lucidly than Mendez has to date by dropping the former PAC-10 wrestler of the year to open each of the first two rounds of their three-round scrap.
“Cain is working hard on his standup, and that is something that he will continue to improve on,” Cook said. “We know what he can do well and what he has to keep improving on.”
As for who may be next for the bruising heavyweight, Cook seemed hopeful that fellow prospect Shane Carwin might be next on the docket but said they would be more than happy to fight for the title if the UFC were so inclined to offer a shot.
“We are going to fight whoever [the UFC] puts in front of us,” Cook said. “Would it be better to get some more fights? Sure, but we understand this is a business.”
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