Devonte Lewis Squats 480 kg, Unofficially Smashes IPF World Record at AMP Rising Tide

Devonte Lewis unofficially broke the +120kg raw squat world record on August 30, hoisting 480 kilograms at the 2026 AMP Rising Tide meet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The American super-heavyweight was making his first appearance under an IPF affiliate, competing at a Powerlifting America event, and used the moment to announce himself as a new force in tested powerlifting.

His squat session did not start smoothly. Lewis opened with an ambitious 440-kilogram (970-pound) attempt that officials turned down. He recovered on his second try, sinking comfortably to depth for a clean 460-kilogram (1,014.1-pound) lift. For his third and final attempt, he loaded 480 kilograms (1,058.2 pounds) onto the bar, unracked it without hesitation, hit depth and drove through the sticking point to complete the lift. Observers noted he looked relatively at ease under nearly half a ton, suggesting he may still have more to give once he steps onto an international IPF platform.

The mark sits above the current official IPF record of 478 kilograms (1,053.8 pounds) in the +120kg raw division, set by Jesus Olivares at the 2024 IPF Sheffield Powerlifting Championships. Because Lewis's lift came at an AMP event rather than a sanctioned IPF meet, it counts as unofficial for now, though it sets up a future showdown with Olivares once he competes internationally.

Not just a squat, a complete performance

Lewis's day did not end with the squat. He converted eight of his nine total attempts across the three lifts. On bench press he opened with 275 kilograms (606.3 pounds), moved to 282.5 kilograms (622.8 pounds), then closed with 287.5 kilograms (633.8 pounds). His deadlift series climbed from 340 kilograms (749.6 pounds) to 360 kilograms (793.7 pounds) before finishing at 367.5 kilograms (810.2 pounds).

Adding it all up, Lewis posted a total of 1,135 kilograms (2,502.2 pounds), enough to win the Men's Raw Open +120 kg division outright. That total unofficially ranks third on the all-time list of heaviest totals in IPF history.

From the PLU to IPF ambitions

According to OpenPowerlifting data through August 22, 2026, Lewis has entered four sanctioned competitions and won every one of them. He began his career in the PLU, moved on to the USAPL, and has now set his sights on the IPF, where he will eventually face Olivares and the rest of the world's top super-heavyweights.

His squat numbers keep climbing toward the symbolic 500-kilogram (1,102.3-pound) barrier in the raw division, a milestone nobody has cleared yet. But his bench and deadlift results suggest he is not building his career around a single lift; he appears to be developing into a complete, well-rounded powerlifter capable of challenging across all three disciplines once he reaches the international stage.