Prichard Colon has died at 33, a decade after a brain bleed in the ring left him in a persistent vegetative state. His father, Richard Colon, confirmed the death Thursday in a post on the boxer’s Facebook page, thanking supporters for years of prayers.
Colon was an undefeated 23-year-old prospect at 16-0 with 13 knockouts when he fought Terrel Williams on October 17, 2015 in Fairfax, Virginia. He was struck repeatedly to the back of the head, complained to the referee about it, and was knocked down twice in the ninth round. Williams lost a point for the illegal shots.
His corner pulled his gloves off after that round thinking the fight had ended. It was a 10-rounder, and Colon was disqualified for failing to answer the bell. He collapsed in his dressing room minutes later, was diagnosed with a subdural hematoma, underwent emergency brain surgery and spent 221 days in a coma.
He woke up unable to walk or to speak without computer assistance. His parents cared for him at home in Florida for the rest of his life.
Why fighters outside boxing know the name
Strikes to the back of the head are banned under the unified rules of MMA for the same reason they are banned in boxing. The base of the skull, where the spine meets the brainstem, has almost no protection, and damage there can kill. Colon’s case became the reference point for that argument across combat sports.
The WBC responded in 2016 with a zero-tolerance policy on rabbit punches and attached his name to it. The sanctioning body also made him an honorary world champion.
His death comes days after former world title challenger Raven Chapman was placed in a medically induced coma following a brain bleed in sparring.
A cause of death has not been announced, and it is not clear whether it was directly connected to the 2015 injury. More on Colon’s career and the tributes from boxing’s sanctioning bodies is available with the latest boxing news at BoxingWire.
