Former professional boxer Prichard Colon has died at the age of 33, nearly 11 years after suffering a devastating brain injury during a fight that brought his promising career to a tragic end. Colon’s father, Richard Colon, announced his death on August 13, 2026. The former Puerto Rican boxer had spent years dealing with the severe consequences of the injury he suffered inside the ring.
Colon was just 23 when he faced Terrel Williams in Fairfax, Virginia, on October 17, 2015. He entered the bout as an unbeaten prospect with a professional record of 16-0, including 13 knockouts. However, the fight took a tragic turn as Colon was repeatedly hit by punches to the back of the head, commonly known as rabbit punches.
Colon was eventually knocked down twice in the ninth round before Williams was disqualified. After the fight, Colon became seriously ill in the dressing room and was rushed to hospital. Doctors discovered that he had suffered a severe subdural hematoma and required emergency brain surgery.
Colon subsequently spent 221 days in a coma before eventually regaining consciousness. However, the brain injury left him with severe neurological damage, and he required extensive care from his family for the rest of his life. His condition meant he could not return to boxing, bringing an abrupt end to a career that had shown considerable promise.
Before the tragedy, Colon had won his first 16 professional fights and was regarded as one of Puerto Rico’s exciting young boxing prospects. His story became a painful reminder of the dangers of head trauma in boxing and sparked discussions about fighter safety and the responsibility of officials to protect athletes from dangerous blows. Colon’s death at 33 marks the heartbreaking end to a life forever changed by one fateful night in the ring.
