The anticipation surrounding the upcoming 2024 New York Pro is at an all-time high as athletes ready their physiques for battle. In a recent The Menace Podcast, Dennis James, Milos Sarcev, and Chris Cormier debate who will win the prestigious event on May 18, discussing top contenders Nick Walker and Quinton Eriya.
IFBB head judge Steve Weinberger’s annual New York Pro is almost here and with a prize money increase to $30,000, pressure has mounted for athletes who intend to participate. Among the frontrunners is Nick Walker, who aims to bounce back with a major win after withdrawing from the 2023 Olympia contest due to a disastrous calf and hamstring tear.
However, if ‘The Mutant’ hopes to earn his qualification for 2024 Olympia, he must get past Quinton Eriya, a thriving Men’s Open talent with exceptional structure, stature, and balance. After failing to secure a spot on the Olympia stage in 2022, Eriya took the entire 2023 season off to add much-needed muscle tissue to his physique. With less than three weeks until showtime, bodybuilding veterans discuss who might lead the pack in New York.
Dennis James, Milos Sarcev, Chris Cormier Debate Who Will Win 2024 New York Pro, Compare Quinton Eriya to Samson Dauda
After adding muscle tissue to his frame over the latest season, Chris Cormier is confident Quinton Eriya has a solid shot at gold in New York.
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“You wanted a little bit more size and fill out when you hit that lat spread, the chest is standing up high, the waist came down nicely, and you know, you always had the calves, you always had the glutes.
I just think it’s a matter of you going up there and nailing that peak. If you could peak out great, I think that’s all you need right there is to peak great for those two shows right there and give anybody and everybody hell,” says Chris Cormier.
According to Dennis James, Eriya has what Nick Walker lacks: super crazy flow. He believes this gives Eriya an edge against ‘The Mutant’ during potential comparisons on stage.
“You stand there at your best with the new version of Quinton, you want to stand next to Nick because you know Nick is a top contender at the Olympia, a possible Mr. Olympia. So, there’s no better way than to measure yourself than by standing next to a guy like Nick,” explains Dennis James.
“You have what he doesn’t have. This super crazy flow. He’s got the freaky muscle but this is where you want to stand, next to guys like Nick,” adds James.
Next, James compared Eriya’s physique to Samson Dauda’s, arguing that ‘The Nigerian Lion’ lacked a similar level of definition in the lower body.
“I’m on Quinton’s side right now, I mean 100 percent,” says James. “You mean, because Samson’s legs are maybe a little bit bigger that means they are better? Samson doesn’t have half the lines in his quads that he has.”
Milos Sarcev doesn’t believe Quinton Eriya’s leg volume is on par with Dauda’s.
“All fun aside, so this is it. How about the upper body, and judge just the legs? Front, side, rear, okay? Samson has much more mass that is visible. That’s how he was beating Quinton in Romania,” explains Milos Sarcev.
“Andrew Jacked right, he was not comparable in the legs, that’s where he lost to Samson. Okay? And Andrew Jacked and Quinton were together in Texas and the other shows so you could compare. I always look for everything. Beautiful body, beautiful shape but legs, I said before he came on, I don’t think his legs are still there volume-wise. That’s why I think.”
James pointed to Eriya’s calves and Sarcev admits he probably has a wider structure and smaller waist than Dauda.
“His calves are fuckin unbelievable,” adds Dennis James.
“Upper body, Quinton has a wider structure and probably a smaller waist,” concedes Milos Sarcev.
Meanwhile, Chris Cormier underlined that if Eriya can nail his peak in New York, his chances of success skyrocket.
“Your biggest threat is that you can peak out and you can show a physique that you haven’t been able to show yet. I’m excited for you man. I think you’ll keep getting better and better and keep all those things intact, keep that waist intact, keep growing the legs. I think the body is there. The back can be improved a little bit more still but I still think you’re on a great track to beat a lot of people.”
With arguably the third-biggest show set to kick off in weeks, Quinton Eriya has assessed his chances, the lineup, and Nick Walker’s physique. He believes he has advantages over Walker on stage and vice-versa.
“I think my physique, I think I have strengths over him. I think he has strengths over me. For me, personally, I can acknowledge that he is one of the top guys in the sport. With that said, there is going to be certain shots where he might beat me, but certain shots where I might beat him,” shares Eriya.
Aside from Quinton Eriya and Nick Walker, the New York Pro will see other top-tier Open talents wage war, including reigning 2023 NY Pro champ Tonio Burton, Stuart Sutherland, and Detroit Pro winner Martin Fitzwater. With a stacked show on the horizon, fans are excited to welcome competitors to the 2024 New York Pro stage on May 18!
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