can anyone name the current Mr. Universe? Lou's highest bb achievement. is that title even around today? in terms of bb success we could say Mentzer eclipsed Lou
It's the IFBB World Amateur Championships (aka the Mr. Universe). The NPC Team Universe is supposed to field a squad to compete at that show. But, with the overall champion getting a pro card, I think American participation is down.
Before the NPC Nationals became a pro qualifier unto itself, that show was used to field a Universe team, where the weight-class winners at the U got a pro card and qualified for the following year's Olympia.
Many of the Universe competitors don't go there to turn pro. They go there just to win and get famous in their native lands. Some who have turned pro via their countries' national titles have forfeited their pro cards, just to compete at the Universe, which end up being more lucrative if they win there (Hamdullah Aykutlu comes to mind).
As far as Mentzer goes, you could say that, if you consider that Mentzer won his class at the Olympia but lost the overall to Frank Zane.