When it comes down to it, bodybuilding shows aren’t won by the guy that can lift the most weight (with the exception of eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, of course). After all, bodybuilders aren’t powerlifters or strongmen; it’s all about the physique. Still, wouldn’t it be cool to see just how strong they really are? And wouldn’t it be even cooler to see which IFBB Pro League athlete is the strongest bodybuilder of them all? Well, at Olympia Weekend 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, we’re gonna find out as Johnnie Jackson and Ben White face off at the inaugural Duel in the Desert: World’s Strongest Bodybuilder Lift Off.
WHAT: Duel in the Desert: World’s Strongest Bodybuilder Lift Off WHEN: 3:00 PM, Saturday, September 26 WHERE: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, Las Vegas, Nevada
The two-lift duel will be comprised of the deadlift and bench press, with three attempts per lift. The competitor with the highest combined total wins. Jackson reports that he has an 815-pound deadlift and a 600-pound bench press; White claims to have benched 711 pounds in a bench shirt and 645 pounds raw.
Jackson, winner of the 2006 Montreal Pro and 2007 Atlantic City Pro is widely considered by many to be the unofficial world’s strongest bodybuilder, a title that White – the 2007 NPC USA super-heavyweight and overall winner – has a hard time believing: “Just because Johnnie says he’s the strongest doesn’t mean it’s true. Prove it!”
In five days, both men will get a chance to back up their claims and settle the score once and for all. Until then, White, ever the trash talker, had this parting shot for Jackson: “It’s just like the D-Block song says: ‘When it’s all said and done, after they said I’ve won, all I’m going to say is, I’m sorry Ms. Jackson, [Ben] is for real.’ “
