Flex Lewis thinks Derek Lunsford will be the first 2-division Olympic champion

Lewis thinks Lunsford is on the right track to making history.

Written by Robert Zeglinsky Last updated July 18, 2023

Derek Lunsford could be the next heir apparent to true bodybuilding greatness. Already a former 212 Olympia champion (2021), Lunsford shone on his debut at the Men’s Open at Olympia 2022finishing second to Titanic Hadi Choopan. With more seasoning under his belt, some in the bodybuilding community believe he’s on the verge of a truly unique achievement.

On July 17, 2023, James “Flex” Lewis posted a video on his YouTube channel where he had a chat with Lunsford about his current place in bodybuilding. With Lunsford now a full-time member of the Men’s Open class, Lewis endorsed his peer’s chances of becoming the first bodybuilder to win in two separate Olympia divisions (212, Men’s Open).

A seven-time Olympia 212 champion (2012-2018), Lewis enjoyed a friendly rivalry with Lunsford towards the end of his reign, notably beating the young finalist in the 2018 edition of the contest. This could make Lewis more equipped than most to understand what Lunsford is capable of at the highest levels of bodybuilding.

Lewis maintained that he had been keeping tabs on Lunsford since his only 212 title in 2021 and that he unquestionably saw him as the athlete to beat. November in Orlando, Florida.

“Coming into this year’s Olympia (2023), I said to so many people, ‘Derek Lunsford is the one,'” Lewis explained. “This (2023) Pittsburgh Pro, which blew my mind and everyone else. I thought to myself, ‘Thank God this guy is no longer in the 212 (division)’. I also thought, ‘Thank God I’m not competing in the Open class against this guy.’ I also said, “Anyone who stands next to this guy will get a handful.”

As well as talking about Lunsford’s physique, Lewis practically described him as the inevitable first-ever “champion-champion” – the first bodybuilder in history to be able to win a title in two major Olympia divisions.

With a win at Olympia 2023, Lunsford could very well live up to that billing.

“What you’ve done since 212 is really, really inspiring,” Lewis told Lunsford. “You say you were never able to dethrone me, but you know what I can say about you is that I may have beaten you in class 212 but now you are going to be, at my eyes, the very first champion-champion.

Lewis said one of his competitive career goals was to win an Olympic title in two divisions. The icon has never competed in a division outside of 212 in tentpole bodybuilding contests. Now that those days are behind him, he will live vicariously through the exploits of Lunsford.

“It was my motivation to be the first-ever two-division champion,” Lewis said. “You now, whether you thought about it or not, it was eating me up…I can never achieve that now that I’m retired.” I want to see you go to the moon and back.