Former Puerto Rican boxing champion Prichard Colón passes away at age 33

Prichard Colón, a former boxer from Puerto Rico, has passed away at the age of 33, nearly 11 years after suffering a severe brain injury that left him in a persistent vegetative state. His death occurred on Thursday.

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Colón's father and former coach, Richard Colón, announced the news of his son's passing in a Facebook post on Thursday, expressing his gratitude for the love and prayers received over the years.

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In the post, Richard Colón wrote, "Good morning my people, I regret to inform you of the passing of my son Prichard from this earthly world, now he is in a better world," and also shared his efforts to fulfill his son's wish to visit Puerto Rico.

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Richard Colón also stated, "I did everything possible to fulfil his wish, his dream of bringing him on vacation to Puerto Rico as much as he desired but couldn’t," and requested continued prayers for the family.

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Colón was a junior middleweight with a promising career, boasting a 16-0 professional record with 13 knockouts before his life took a dramatic turn in October 2015.

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During a bout against American boxer Terrel Williams at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia, Colón suffered a brain bleed after being knocked down twice in the ninth round and receiving repeated blows to the back of the head.

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His corner stopped the fight, and Colón was rushed to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed a subdural hematoma that required emergency surgery, leading to a 221-day coma and a lifelong reliance on rehabilitation and family care.

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The severity of Colón's injury led to a significant change in the sport, with the World Boxing Council introducing the "Prichard Colón Rule" in 2016, which enforces zero tolerance for blows to the back of the head.

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In 2017, Colón's parents filed a $50m lawsuit against the ringside doctor and promoters connected to the fight that led to his devastating injury.

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Prichard Colón was born on September 19, 1992, in Maitland, Florida, and had a notable amateur career, winning gold at the 2010 Pan American Youth Championship.