When the eight-time Mr. Olympia, Ronnie Coleman, was climbing the ladder in the bodybuilding world, Kevin Levrone was already an established name, having finished second in 1992 and 1995 while battling legends like Dorian Yates. Yet, despite being a step behind Levrone at the time, the Texas native eventually ousted him.

Speaking to Mike Thurston on the First Things Thurst podcast, Kevin expressed that he was shocked by his defeat at the 1997 IFBB Grand Prix in Russia against Coleman. "Man, I got beat, and I wasn't losing on any tours, you know., I got beat by Ronnie Coleman,” said Levrone.

Kevin admitted that he had to give his body a rest and couldn’t take in as many calories as Coleman was consuming during his prime years. “But he was eating so much food and everything, and I wasn't eating no food, you know. When my blood sugar level got low, I would just drink some wine, put some sugar in it.”

After their Russian Grand Prix fiasco, they returned to the United States, where Coleman once again beat Levrone, “Then he came back to the States. We competed at the Night of Champions, and he beat me again. And I said, "Man, if he beats me on American soil with American judges, it's all over.”

The Russian Grand Prix proved to be a turning point in Coleman’s career. Before the event, he had consistently finished outside the top five, but shortly afterward, he went on to win his first Mr. Olympia in 1998.

Kevin Levrone explains the reality of Ronnie Coleman

During the same conversation, the four-time Mr. Olympia runner-up explained that Coleman is a man of honor; no matter how much he has suffered in his life, he has never given up.

“He never complains. Yeah, you know, and he’s still going. It’s still going. It’s still going. And you know, it’s what he’s derived from that drives him. He’s one of a kind. When all the muscle is stripped away, we really see the human being and what’s driving Ronnie Coleman,” said Levrone.

After his prime, Ronnie Coleman suffered immensely, a fact widely acknowledged by the bodybuilding community. He has undergone 13 surgeries, back-to-back hip replacement procedures, and much more.

Recently, he also battled sepsis, yet despite everything, he still shows up at Metroflex Gym every day. His never-give-up attitude is the reason he remained undefeated during his prime.

Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Joyita Das