Israel Contreras (born December 27, 1960) is a Venezuelan former professional boxer who won the

World Boxing Organization The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxing ...

and

World Boxing Association The World Boxing Association (WBA), formerly known as the National Boxing Association (NBA), is the oldest and one of four major organizations which sanction professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Council (WBC), International Boxi ...

world bantamweight titles. He had a supporting role in the

Mel Gibson Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor, film director, and producer. He is best known for his action hero roles, particularly his breakout role as Max Rockatansky in the first three films of the post-apoca ...

film ''

Apocalypto ''Apocalypto'' () is a 2006 action adventure film produced, co-written, and directed by Mel Gibson. The film features a cast of Native American and Indigenous Mexican actors consisting of Rudy Youngblood, Raoul Trujillo, Mayra Sérbulo, Dali ...

''.

Boxing career

Contreras turned professional in 1981 and lost his first title fight to WBA super flyweight title holder

Khaosai Galaxy Khaosai Galaxy ( th, เขาทราย แกแล็คซี่, born, 15 May 1959) is a Thai former professional boxer who competed between 1980 and 1991. He was also a Muay Thai practitioner. He held the WBA super-flyweight title betw ...

by KO in 1986. He later moved up in weight and in 1990 captured the WBO bantamweight title with a TKO over

Ray Minus Ray Minus (3 July 1964 – 27 April 2023) was a Bahamian professional bantam/ super bantam/ feather/ super feather/ light/light welterweight boxer of the 1980s, '90s and 2000s who won the Bahamas lightweight title, Bahamas light welterweight tit ...

. Contreras vacated the title to fight

Luisito Espinosa Luisito Pio Espinosa (born June 26, 1967) is a Filipino former professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 2005. He is a world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBA bantamweight title from 1989 to 1991 and the WBC featherweight ...

for WBA belt in 1991 and won by KO in the 5th. He lost the belt in his first defense to Eddie Cook. He retired in 1995 after a TKO loss to Johnny Vasquez. Contreras collapsed in the hospital after the bout, but recovered.

External links

* * 1960 births Living people People from La Guaira Super-flyweight boxers Bantamweight boxers World bantamweight boxing champions World Boxing Association champions World Boxing Organization champions Venezuelan male boxers {{Venezuela-boxing-bio-stub