The boxing world is mourning the death of Prichard Colón, a former Puerto Rican boxer who died this Thursday at the age of 33, a decade after suffering irreversible brain injuries during a fight.

The death of the former boxer was confirmed by his father, Richard Colón, who shared a message on social networks to report the death of his son.

"Good morning, my people. I regret to inform you of the departure of my son Prichard from this earthly world. Now he is in a better world," Colón said on his Facebook account.

"I did everything possible to fulfill his wish, his dream of bringing him on vacation to Puerto Rico as he wanted so much. Thank you for so many years of love and prayers. To the extent you can, please keep us in prayers," he added in his publication.

The fight that changed Prichard Colón's life forever

Prichard Colon came into the October 17, 2015 fight in Fairfax, Virginia with an impressive undefeated record of 16-0 with 12 knockouts.

His rival was Terrel Williams, in a fight that ended up having devastating consequences for the Puerto Rican.

During the fight, Colón received several “rabbit blows,” as illegal impacts to the back of the head are known. The fight ended in the ninth round after the Puerto Rican was knocked down twice in the eighth.

After the fight, Colón was transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where he remained in a coma.

Doctors determined that he had suffered a subdural hematoma, an injury that caused irreversible brain damage and completely changed his life.

More than ten years in a wheelchair

From that day, Prichard Colón's life changed radically.

The former boxer remained in a wheelchair for more than ten years and needed constant care due to the consequences of the brain injury he suffered during that fight.

His mother, Nieves Meléndez, was by his side throughout this time and was in charge of taking care of him 24 hours a day, in addition to looking for different therapies that could help in his recovery.

The story of Colón caused an enormous commotion inside and outside of boxing, especially due to the consequences of the blows to the back of the head received during the fight.

Boxing created the “Prichard Columbus” rule

The Prichard Colón case also had repercussions within sports.

A year after the incident, the World Boxing Council (WBC) created a rule that was named “Prichard Colón,” in recognition of the former boxer and as part of the measures related to the protection of fighters.

Colón's career also received special recognition from the organization.

In June 2021, the WBC named the Puerto Rican honorary champion, a distinction that allowed him to receive the green and gold belt that he had dreamed of since his first steps in boxing.

The recognition was a tribute to his career and the difficult story that began that night in October 2015.

Prichard Colón leaves a story that marked boxing

Before the tragedy, Colón was considered one of the young talents of Puerto Rican boxing. His record of 16 victories, 12 of them by knockout, reflected the potential he had shown during his early years as a professional. In fact, at the Pan American Youth Boxing Championships in 2009/2010, Colón won the gold medal in the 64 kg category.

However, that fight in Fairfax ended his career and led him to face an entirely different battle for the next ten years.

At the age of 33, Prichard Colón died after a decade marked by the consequences of that brain injury. His case will be linked to one of the stories that have drawn the most attention about the risks and safety of boxers inside the ring.

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