Boxer Prichard Colón Dies At 33, A Decade After Devastating Brain Injury

Former professional boxer Prichard Colón has died at 33, nearly 11 years after suffering a traumatic brain injury during his final fight, his father confirmed on social media Thursday.

Colón entered his October 2015 bout against Terrel Williams undefeated at 16-0 with 13 knockouts, fighting on national television in Fairfax, Virginia. Throughout the fight, Colón repeatedly complained about illegal punches landing behind his head. Referee Joe Cooper deducted a point from Williams in round 7 for the infraction after allowing earlier fouls to go unpenalized. In the closing seconds of round 9, Colón was knocked down by another shot that landed behind the head — the round’s second knockdown — though Cooper again did not rule it illegal.

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A Fatal Sequence of Events

Colón’s corner removed his gloves after round 9, mistakenly believing the fight had ended. One round remained, and Colón was disqualified for failing to answer the bell for round 10. Shortly after returning to his dressing room, he became dizzy, vomited and collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital, diagnosed with a subdural hematoma, and underwent emergency surgery to relieve pressure on his brain.

Colón spent 221 days in a coma. When he was ultimately discharged in May 2016, the injury had left him unable to walk or speak, and he required continuous care for the remainder of his life. He later underwent spinal surgery and, according to his family, made limited progress in rehabilitation, including learning to communicate through a computer.

Legal Fallout

In 2017, Colón’s parents filed a lawsuit seeking more than $50 million, alleging medical malpractice against ringside physician Dr. Richard Ashby for failing to act despite Colón telling him he felt dizzy and was in pain from illegal blows earlier in the fight.

Colón’s death brings a close to more than a decade of severe health complications following the injury, and reignites longstanding questions in the sport about officiating, ringside medical response, and fighter safety when repeated fouls go unaddressed mid-bout.

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Article by USports Editors