Introduction
Tuesday, July 30th, American light heavyweight prospect Aleksa Camur will be in action for Dana White’s Contender Series, where he will be looking to earn a win over Fabio Cherant. He will be looking to score yet another win, as Camur looks to potentially earn a UFC contract. He represents Strong Style Fight Team, home to former UFC champ Stipe Miocic. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Boxing: The most obvious strength of Camur in the footage I have seen of him is his boxing ability. He has quick hands and mixes up his punches well, throwing combinations that tag both the head and body. That diversity keeps his opponents guessing on defense and makes it more difficult to effectively counter strike. He’s also long and likes to box at range, racking up damage that will eventually lead to his kill shot. That kill shot is never far off either, as Camur has immense power in hose hands. He’s ended every single one of his pro and amateur fights, and has yet to see the third round. I’d like to see him add more kicks into his attacks, but he’s been effective even without them.
Intangibiles: Camur has a lot of things going for him as a young fighter that makes him such an impressive prospect. The first thing is his age. He’s just 23 years old, and to be at the level he’s at so young means he’s going to be very dangerous in a couple of years. He’s also getting good reps at Strong Style Fight Team, as he’s a main training partner of former UFC champ Stipe Miocic. Iron sharpens iron, and when working with Miocic, I am sure you are going to learn some solid tricks of the trade. Also, from the looks of his fights so far, Camur has not taken much damage. I’ve always said you can only have your bell rung so many times, and it doesn’t appear Camur has been a recipient of much punishment thus far. Finally, he’s a good natural athlete. Because of that, he moves well and is explosive. All of these intangibles are huge.
Needs Improvement
Grappling Question Marks: For all we know, Camur could be an absolute wizard on the mat. Right now, there just isn’t enough evidence to prove whether he’s a mat master or a ground goober. At the highest levels, he will be tested by world class wrestlers and BJJ masters. How will Camur react when they not only get a hold of him from close (he’s a distance fighter), but get him on the mat? Will he be a fish out of water or will he be a competent, knowledgeable grappler capable of defending and working his way back to the feet (aka his comfort zone)? That’s to be seen out of this young fella.
Inexperience: Although Camur’s skills and athleticism are impressive, he’s still just a 23-year-old kid with four pro MMA bouts. Further than that, it’s not as if those fights have been against the Anderson Silva’s and Fedor’s of the world. This is expected, though, since he’s only a lad and is building up his skills and experience. That said, he’s taking a step up to the big leagues here by fighting on the Contender Series. In the event he beats Cherant (another prospect with comparable experiences), and scores a contract, he will be going from fighting low-mid level regional fighters to fighting some of the best and most promising in the world. His game will have to grow and mature very quickly in that type of environment, as there are no easy fights.
Outlook
The Sky is the Limit: Camur is clearly a guy with a high ceiling and his potential seems unlimited. That’s a high compliment, which is obviously contingent on him continuing to work hard, develop and challenge himself. The light heavyweight division is in constant need of new talent to keep it occupied and at a competitive, exciting level. Camur will have no problem fitting in. But, getting there is not the end of the battle. He needs to continue sharpening his tools and becoming the all-around fighter that he most certainly can be. That type of skill set will make him a fighter that many will be apprehensive to sign the dotted line against. In a couple of years, this should be a guy that’s making an impact.
MMA Intel 