Prichard Colon, the Puerto Rican boxer whose career ended after a serious brain injury in 2015, has died at 33, his father, Richard Colon, confirmed on social media on August 13, 2026. Colon had been unbeaten through 16 professional fights before facing Terrel Williams in Fairfax, Virginia. He suffered a brain bleed after the bout, spent 221 days in a coma and needed full-time care for years afterward. His death came more than a decade after the injury.
Who was Prichard Colon and what happened in his 2015 fight with Terrel Williams?
Colon was a young super welterweight boxer who had built a 16-0 record, with 13 wins by knockout. He was still only 23 when he met Terrel Williams at EagleBank Arena on October 17, 2015. The fight was expected to be another step in his rise, but it became the end of his boxing career.During the bout, Colon complained several times about punches landing to the back of his head. Those punches are not allowed in boxing. The Washington Post reported that Williams was deducted one point in the seventh round for a rabbit punch. Colon was then knocked down twice in the ninth round.The fight ended in a strange way. After the ninth round, Colon’s corner began taking off his gloves, believing the fight was over. When they realized another round remained, it was too late, and Colon was disqualified. Soon after leaving the ring, he became dizzy and later vomited in the dressing room.Colon was rushed to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where doctors found bleeding in his brain. He needed emergency surgery to reduce pressure on his brain. ESPN reported that he was later moved to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta for treatment of his brain and spinal injuries.The defeat left Colon with a 16-1 record, but the result quickly became secondary as his medical condition worsened. What had been a fighter’s career became a long fight for his health, with his family staying by his side.
What happened to Prichard Colon after his brain injury?
The injury changed Colon’s life completely. He remained in a coma for 221 days and later needed further medical treatment, including spinal surgery. By May 2016, he had been moved from a rehabilitation center to his mother’s home in Orlando, Florida, while still in a coma, according to ESPN.He never returned to boxing. The brain injury left him unable to walk or speak normally and dependent on his family for daily care. His father, Richard Colon, and other family members continued looking after him for years.Colon also stayed connected with the people who supported him. In a social media post later shared by TalkSport, he wrote, “Where are my supporters, they never give up on me.” The message showed that his connection with his supporters remained important even after his career had ended.Richard Colon confirmed his son’s death on August 13, 2026, thanking people who had supported the family over the years. No separate cause of death has been publicly announced beyond the long-term health problems linked to the 2015 brain injury.