i dont think so..
vic at 17 looks better than kovacs ever did... look at the muscle shape
kovacs is just a big framed guy who had access to a lot of drugs
in contrast vic is a genetic phenom...
genetics my friend
no contest
What makes you think that Kovacs didn't have similar potential at age 17?
From what I've read about him, Kovacs was fairly large before he started bodybuilding training.
And, while Kovacs competed on the pro stage. Richards did not. No one has seen him in contest shape. Heck, I haven't even seen any pics of that Nigerian National Championship that he won to earn his pro card.
There are a number of "genetic phenoms" who didn't do squat as pros. Conversely, there are guys who were anything but that, yet they went on to win big in the IFBB, INCLUDING the Mr. Olympia title (i.e. Frank Zane and Chris Dickerson).