Mike Mentzer inspired several fitness enthusiasts to chase their ideal physiques with the right technique and workout plan. After winning the Mr. Universe in 1978, he knew he had it in him to make it big on the Olympia stage. Unfortunately, he remained uncrowned throughout his career. And, before he could move forward with the sport, he retired and met with an early demise.
In a heartbreaking account of what took place behind the scenes, fellow bodybuilder and good friend Danny Padilla spoke about Mentzer’s tragedy. While being an absolute lover of the sport and its principles, 1980 changed everything for the late legend. It was then that Mentzer decided to boycott the field of his expertise. The source of the statement is unknown, but YouTube channel Heavy Duty College recently posted a sound byte from Padilla’s statement about Mentzer’s retirement.
It all began when Mentzer, Padilla, Frank Zane, Boyer Coe, and more noticed some unfairness in the workings of the Mr. Olympia championship in 1980. Despite visibly noticing the lack of prep in Arnold Schwarzenegger, he won the competition. This led to the displeasure of other contestants and the audience. At that time, Mentzer had already decided to boycott the championship the following year.
However, instead of witnessing any improvement, he watched Franco Columbu win the trophy at the 1981 Mr. Olympia. As the audience booed and left, he knew the sport, which he once loved to bits, had changed for the worse. Recalling Mentzer’s internal conflict, Padilla revealed how he tried getting the legend back.
“He lost total respect for the sport. I used to tell him, ‘Mike, the best way is to get even, is to win. You have everything it takes! You’ve got the mind power, you’ve got the physique. There’s no way you can’t win’.”
But Mentzer had given up on the cause, feeling dejected about the direction of the sport. Padilla admitted that within the span of those two years, the late legend had lost the will to defend the sport he considered his home.
“All of a sudden, it became evil instead of his home. That was a sad time in my life. It was…it was a heartbreaker.”
After the early 80s, Mentzer slowly faded away from the scene despite his contributions to the sport. While he was still respected amongst the circle, he could never let go of what went down at the two Mr. Olympia championships. Fellow bodybuilder Tom Platz once opened up on this subject.
Tom Platz once speculated on the reason behind the demise of Mike Mentzer
What happened in 1980 and 1981 was not a secret amongst bodybuilding veterans at the time. Not only did Mentzer lose the opportunity to grab the crown. But, he also landed in a tiff with Schwarzenegger that turned ugly. Rivalries got more intense, and one thing led to another. Mentzer got close to charging at the 7x Mr. Olympia behind the scenes.
Platz revealed in a panel discussion that even though Mentzer and Schwarzenegger made up after this incident, the late legend carried the bitterness till the very end. The anger surrounding the sport’s state of affairs and the differences in opinion stuck with him for a long time. He theorized how that was one of the few reasons Mentzer faced an early demise.
