Shawn Ray was the Lee Lebrada of his era, or could it be said that Lee Lebrada was the Shawn Ray of his era? I beg to differ that Shawn Ray never had a classic physique compared to Lee. He did, in fact what you see in Lee, Shawn, and Dex, is a evolution of the smaller classical phyiques adaptation to the freaky standards of each era. Each of these three were big enough to be consider classical and freaky at the same time, but smaller than the "insane" freak standards of the time. Shawn and Dex having to gain wieght in order to compete. Lee never competed over 196 pounds. Whereas Shawn was competing at 201-205 for years, then stepped up to 210-18. In actuality we can't even compared their best shapes because they competed against a diff standard. And they peaked at different ages. Shawn leaked when Lebrada was going out (Lebrada left in 96, Shawn did well in 93,94,95,96), and Dex starting peaking as Shawn went out.
Now, to me Shawn was the most aesthetic of the three, he possessed both size, shape and cuts, and in my opinion the best abs in bbing thus far. Lee was smaller, but he lacked size, there is a reason why Haney called him "Flea" Labrada. Dex is &guy than Shawn, yet has high lats from the front, and has a slight gut, but he is tight.
It is safe to say that all three have their respective weaknesses, but all three were true giant killers.
Lee Labrada is the Steve Reeves of his time albeit shorter , Shawn Ray was a mini-mass monster with a very nice physique as far as classic physiques Ray doesn't compare to Labrada not in structure not in balance & proportion or clavicle width
When I think of classical physiques Steve Reeves , Frank Zane , Bob Paris , Lee Labrada , Rory Leidlemeyer etc NOT Shawn Ray he doesn't meet the Greek Ideal of calves , arms and neck all the same size , he doesn't have wide clavicles , he doesn't have a balanced upper & lower body , Shawn has short legs , high calves a longish torso , heavyweights arms , lightweights torso he has way to many structural issues to be compared in a classic sense as the same as the above mentioned , which is why I believe Flex Magazine didn't have him close to many of the above mentioned in their list of the most aesthetic physiques
Labrada left in 1995 , his last contest was the Arnold , Ray really never improved over his career other than just coming in a tad sharper , he won the nationals at 196lbs and his best showings he was around 205 pounds not much of an improvement , he did try to play the size game by competing at 215 pounds and his razor sharp conditioning suffered for it , I recall him bitching that the judges said he needed more size but was punished for it ( because he wasn't as sharp )
Shawn and Dexter are more closely related in physique types and it's pretty clear Dexter would beat him , Dexter carries more mass a lot more , now this alone isn't always a given hence why Shawn beat much heavier men however Dexter has more mass with equal if not better conditioning so that extra mass edges Dexter ahead in muscular bulk over Shawn , balance & proportion ...neither of them are Bob Paris in this department but Dexter has advantages Shawn doesn't especially in width , back width and clavicle width which would edge out Shawn in both standing relaxed poses and Dexter beats him in the 1/4 turns , Dex just accumulates more mandatories and seeing all rounds are physique rounds Dexter's meets the criteria better
Shawn was a excellent bodybuilder but people fluff him up to something much more than he was
