Prichard Colon, Boxer Left in Vegetative State After 2015 Brain Injury, Dies at 33

Prichard Colon died Thursday at his home in Florida. He was 33. Richard Colon, who trained his son throughout his career, broke the news to the public through a Facebook post. Richard wrote that he regretted to inform everyone of his son’s passing from this earthly world, adding that Prichard is now in a better place. He thanked supporters for years of love and prayers and asked them to keep the family in their thoughts. No cause of death was given.

What Happened in 2015

Colon was 22 years old and undefeated when he stepped into the ring on October 17, 2015, at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia. His opponent was Terrel Williams. The fight was a super welterweight bout broadcast on NBC as part of the Premier Boxing Champions series.
During the later rounds, Colon repeatedly complained to referee Joseph Cooper that Williams was hitting him in the back of the head — a move known as a rabbit punch, which is illegal in boxing. Cooper issued Williams a one-point deduction but allowed the fight to continue. Colon was knocked down twice in the ninth round. After the second knockdown, his corner removed his gloves, ending the fight by disqualification.
Colon seemed to be walking under his own power after the bout. Then he collapsed in the locker room. Doctors at Inova Fairfax Hospital found a subdural hematoma — bleeding between the brain and skull. Surgeons performed an emergency procedure to relieve pressure on his skull. He never fully recovered. Colon spent 221 days in a coma. When he woke, he could not walk or speak. His family cared for him at home in Florida, providing constant attention every hour of every day until his death.

The Fighter He Was

Before that night in Fairfax, Colon had built one of the more exciting records in junior middleweight boxing. He was 16-0 with 13 knockouts. At the amateur level, he took gold at the 2010 Pan American Youth Championship in the 64 kg division. Many inside the sport considered him a future world champion. His professional debut came in 2013, and he won his first sixteen fights in under two years. The Williams bout was his seventeenth and last.

What His Death Changed

The Colon-Williams fight became one of the most discussed safety failures in modern boxing history. In 2016, the World Boxing Council introduced what became known as the Prichard Colon Rule, which instructs referees to apply zero tolerance to punches to the back of the head. That rule has been credited with changing how referees manage illegal contact during fights worldwide.
In 2021, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman named Colon an honorary world champion. The WBC and WBO both posted tributes on social media Thursday following news of his death.
Colon’s parents filed a lawsuit seeking more than $50 million in damages against the ringside doctor and the promoters of the 2015 bout. That case remains unresolved.
Source: Al Jazeera, Yahoo Sports, Bleacher Report, TMZ, Washington Times, Hollywood Life