Puerto Rican boxer Pritchard Colón, who suffered a brain injury in the ring, has died
Former Puerto Rican boxer Pritchard Colón has died at the age of 33. His father, Richard Colón, announced the news on social media on August 13, according to NDTV World.
In October 2015, Colón fought his last professional bout against Terrell Williams at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia. At the time, the boxer was 23 years old. According to NDTV World, during the 10-round bout, Williams repeatedly landed illegal blows to the back of Colon’s head, causing him to suffer a brain hemorrhage.
After the ninth round, Colona was disqualified because his team mistakenly removed his gloves, believing the fight had already ended. After the fight, the boxer lost consciousness in the locker room; prior to that, he had complained of blows to the back of his head.
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Colona underwent surgery to reduce brain swelling, after which he remained in a coma for 221 days. Following the injury, he was unable to walk or speak, lived in a vegetative state, and required round-the-clock care. The boxer’s father said he took his son to Puerto Rico, fulfilling his wish to visit there.
Prichard Colon was born in Florida and moved to Puerto Rico with his family as a child. In amateur boxing, he won five national titles and a gold medal at the Pan American Youth Games. He began his professional career in 2013: out of 17 fights, he has won 16, including 13 by knockout. In September 2015, he knocked out former WBA champion Vivian Harris in the fourth round.
The boxer’s parents filed a lawsuit seeking more than $50 million against the ring-side doctor and the promoters involved in the fight. According to NDTV World, the case has not yet been settled.
