Prichard Colon, a once-promising Puerto Rican boxer who spent more than a decade unable to talk, walk or function on his own after suffering head injuries during a fight, has died.
He was 33.
Colon’s father, Richard, confirmed the death.
“I did everything possible to fulfill his wish, his dream of bringing him on vacation to Puerto Rico as much as he desired but couldn't," Richard Colon wrote on Facebook.
Prichard Colon was living in Florida, where his family stayed involved in his care for 11 years.
What happened to Prichard Colon?Colon was 16-0 in 2015 entering his fight with American Terrel Williams. During the super welterweight bout, Colon complained about Williams landing repeated blows to the back of Colon’s head.
Williams lost a point for rabbit punching.
Colon, who went down twice in the ninth round, was disqualified from the fight after his corner removed his gloves following the ninth round. It was too late to protect Colon from catastrophic injuries.
He collapsed in the changing rooms before being taken to hospital, according to The Sun. Colon had suffered a bleed to the brain.
"A warrior until the very end," the World Boxing Organization wrote on its X account. "The WBO family mourns the passing of Prichard Colón, whose courage, strength, and fighting spirit transcended the ring. His greatest fight became a testament to resilience and the unwavering love of his family."
Colón lived in a persistent vegetative state since collapsing after the Williams fight, undergoing years of therapy but never regaining speech.
Colón’s family, which stayed involved in his care, filed a lawsuit against the ringside doctor and the fight promoters that has yet to be resolved, according to Newsweek, citing Colon’s mother.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boxer dies 11 years after suffering catastrophic injuries in ring
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