In a dream competition, Evan Centopani thinks fans shouldn’t count out a chance for Phil Heath to stand up to Ronnie Coleman.
When discussing the best bodybuilders of all time, many often leap across eras to see which legendary competitors could stand up against each other. How would Arnold Schwarzenegger compare against Dorian Yates? Or Yates against Ronnie Coleman? Or Coleman against Phil Heath? It’s impossible to answer beyond subjective speculation but one common answer is that no one could stand up to Coleman in his prime. In our GI Exclusive interview, Evan Centopani explains why he thinks Phil Heath would actually have a fair shot at competing against Ronnie Coleman.
While Phil Heath is a 7x Mr. Olympia champion, he often doesn’t get his due when discussing the bigger picture of greatest bodybuilders of all time. Many do attribute an amazing aesthetic to Heath, but when comparing to the conditioning and size of earlier legends, especially Ronnie Coleman, Heath is often pushed to the side.
But Evan Centopani believes that far too many people are underestimating Phil Heath. Ronnie Coleman is often given the immediate GOAT title. Many still believe to this day that not a single bodybuilder can come close to his greatness during his prime. Centopani disagrees. He thinks that if Phil Heath and Ronnie Coleman were able to compete against each other that Heath would have a fighting chance.
“Do I think Ronnie Coleman was a more dominant Mr. Olympia than maybe Phil Heath or Shawn Rhoden or Brandon Curry? Yeah, but I mean that’s a tough comparison,” Evan Centopani states in our interview.
“And I do think that in all fairness to Phil, in the event that he had to compete against Ronnie, I think he would have faired a lot better than people think. I think Phil is a really tremendous bodybuilder. I don’t think he’s usually given the credit that he deserves.”
Centopani does go on to admit that it’s ultimately a tough call. Coleman was a freak and a force of nature. It’s impossible to really compare eras as there are so many factors at play.
You can watch Evan Centopani’s full comments about Ronnie Coleman vs Phil Heath in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
