why would Labrada not be compared to Gaspari & Christian? that was the competition he had then.
Ray may have stepped it up, and Labrada instead of playing the size game and try to come in more shredded, did the right thing and moved on to other things, nothing more to prove, he had reached the end of his career.
He can only be compared to his peers in his era, that is why the whole Yates vs Coleman thing doesn't make sense either.
When Shawn got 13th place he was 201.5 pounds. I read that Labrada never competes over 196...when I had watched the 1993 Mr. O, I had noticed how small both Labrada and Ray's arms were, and in Labrada's case how small his thighs were and how Flex's waist seemed smaller than his. I think Labrada could have competed at over 200 pounds, but he was near the end of career so why risk it. The Haney
years, you noticed that legs were smaller than today---Shawn had to try and keep his in check, but the rest went with the smallish legs criteria, because the Champ, Haney, legs smallish compared to his huge torso.
Without a doubt, the Dorian yrs had better competition and Labrada after 93 if he still was taking bbing as seriously (94,95,96) were not that serious, just cruise control, he would have been crushed. Ray, had his prep down pat, Flex was decent, Ronnie was just coming on line, Nasser and Kev were lethal, and the others who were mid pack. They all were in a diff league, they would crush him...
And even in the Ronnie yrs. I beg to differ, when Shawn came in 215 in 1998, he was still as sharp, it was by 2001-2002, where he was 218 he wasn't as sharp. Just as Shawn Ray was a throwback to another era so was Labrada, but sub 200 pounders aren't gonna Jack against Dorian, Ronnie, today's Jay, Dex, Vic, Phil, etc.
Even in the 202s, Labrada would get killed now...I think Kevin Engish probably uses Labrada's weight with dumbell presses...Structure wise he was great, just like Shawn, and Shawn, was the 90s Labrada, great lines,lighter, shorter.
