In the dimly lit Diamond Gym located at 1270 E Plumb Ln Unit C, local bodybuilder Tonio Burton smiles from ear to ear while sitting on a weight bench showcasing his brawny muscles covered with intricate tattoos.
Burton who goes by @Tonio_Burton on his Instagram with 190k followers inspiring others with his workouts was once a teenager in a gang.
He moved from Louisiana to Reno around the age of six. Growing up, he constantly moved houses while being raised by a single mom. Despite the hurdles in his life, Burton graduated from Hug High School and received his associates in Criminal Justice at Feather River College. He then pursued his dreams to play for the NFL by going to Arkansas State.
Due to a hamstring injury, he says those dreams fell through. Burton may have not known it then but it was simply a redirection towards a career better suited for him – bodybuilding.
On a normal day of lifting at the gym, Burton was approached by a bodybuilder asking him if he competed at all. Impressed by his physique, this bodybuilder convinced him to at least give it a try.
So Burton did just that. In 2018, he began competing as an amateur and after only a year, he received his pro card.
The International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB) issues pro cards to bodybuilders who typically have won major amateur competitions. It is a ticket to the top level bodybuilding competitions.
From being avoided in the streets, Burton is now admired by many. After his shows, people would yell his name and wanted to take pictures with him.
‘It felt so much better to be liked than feared,” Burton said. “The person you were is gone. The person you are becoming is unstoppable,” he recently posted on his Facebook.
The sport of bodybuilding does have its challenges. It can be mentally and physically draining with the rigorous amount of training and intense diet bodybuilders have to endure.
“In family events where they are eating cake, ice cream and pizza and I am just looking at them and thinking I can’t have any of that,” Burton said. “I start to isolate and be alone during prep.”
Regardless of how he is feeling that day, Burton still remains consistent with everything he does.
According to the Dragon Pharma website, Burton “made his pro debut at Indy Pro Bodybuilding Show 2021, and it was clear from the point he took the stage that everyone else was competing for second place. He displayed thick and dense muscles with good balance.”
His nickname in pro bodybuilding is “The Predator.”
While preparing to compete for Mr. Olympia in 2021 in the 212 division, Burton was competing against himself as well and mental health challenges. His best placement in the pinnacle competition of bodybuilding has been eighth in 2023 in the open category.
“I was just in my room and he told me ‘I know what you are going through but you accomplished something so big’” Burton said. “He gave me a kiss on top of my head and I just started crying.”
Burton won the 2023 New York Pro, one of the most important events on the IFBB Pro League, but then he pulled out of competing in the October 2024 Olympia, which was held in Las Vegas, even though he was talked about as a favorite.
Some may also think that bodybuilders like Burton are selfish and narcissistic. Others may even think that it is a sport that kills people. But in Burton’s eyes, it is a sport that saves lives more than it takes lives.
At the age of 33, Burton plans to compete until he is about 45 years old. His ultimate dream within the sport is to finally win on the biggest stage and become Mr. Olympia, which comes with huge prize money for the winner.
“When my kids are 18, they can pull out that money. It is investing in them,” Burton said. “They are not going to have to enter that gang life and do the extreme things I had to do. This is why I do bodybuilding.”