Prichard Colón, Former Boxer, Dies at 33 After Injury

Prichard Colón, a former Puerto Rican boxer, passed away at the age of 33 on Thursday, nearly 11 years after a fight-ending brain injury left him in a persistent vegetative state. His father, Richard Colón, announced his death via Facebook, expressing gratitude for the support received over the years.

Colón, who held a professional record of 16-0 with 13 knockouts, suffered a severe brain bleed during a bout against American boxer Terrel Williams at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia, in October 2015. After being knocked down twice in the ninth round due to repeated blows to the back of the head, the fight was stopped, and Colón was rushed to the hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery for a subdural hematoma.

He spent 221 days in a coma and never regained the ability to walk or talk. His injury prompted the World Boxing Council to implement the "Prichard Colón Rule" in 2016, enforcing zero tolerance for blows to the back of the head.

In 2017, Colón's parents filed a $50 million lawsuit against the ringside doctor and fight promoters.