Jose Bonilla

Jose Bonilla was a former World Boxing Association flyweight champion in 1996. He was born on November 19, 1976 in El Tigre, Anzoategui. He started his professional boxing career in 1990, and then defeated Sean Sor Ploenchit of Thailand in 1996. After three years of defending his title, he lost his WBA belt to Hugo Rafael Soto from Argentina.

Bonilla took some coaching jobs after his professional boxing career. He was the person in charge of the gym in Escuela de los Desportes, School of Sports in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He trained Tito Trinidad, Fres Oquendo, Joel Casamayor and Edison Miranda who considered him as a father like figure.

It was known that Bonilla died last June 14, 2002 because of asthma attack.