Like Franco Columbu four decades before him, Jose Raymond is celebrated for his super heavyweight density packed on a middleweight frame. Though standing only 5'4", they both reached lofty heights. Columbu won the Olympia lightweight division three times (1974–76) and the Olympia twice (1976, 1981). Raymond has eight 202 or 212 pro titles, including the 2015 Arnold Classic.
Columbu possessed a torso that could hang with the 6'2" Arnold Schwarzenegger; his clavicles seemed as broad as he was tall, and his back and chest were among the best ever flexed. However, in keeping with the standards of the ’70s, his lower body lagged compared with his upper half. Raymond’s quads are excellent in any era, and his overall grainy density is among the best in all of bodybuilding today.
Their rear lat spreads are an apple-or-orange comparison. Raymond can’t match Columbu’s breadth, but he has him on lower-body cuts and curves.
