Juan Ferrero

Juan Ferrero (5 April 1918 – 17 June 1958) was a Spanish-French bodybuilder who won the Mr. Universe Pro title in London in 1952. He was born in Spain, and although he became a resident of France at the age of seven, he always identified with his country of origin, which he proudly boasted of.

Ferrero and his family migrated to the city of Bordeaux, France in 1925 for political reasons. As a young child, Ferrero was weak, thin and often sick. His skin tone was very dark and tan, which contrasted with the rest of his family, to the end, he doubted his true parentage. In school, his skin earned him the monicker "El Negro" (the black). Years later, it was a big plus for his sport, but during adolescence it caused him many problems and conflicts. He also adopted the name of Juan, the name of his grandfather for whom he had a great affection.