Ex-Puerto Rican boxer Prichard Colón dies at 33

Former Puerto Rican boxer Prichard Colón has passed away at the age of 33, nearly 11 years after a career-ending brain injury left him in a persistent vegetative state. His father and former coach, Richard Colón, announced his death on Thursday via a Facebook post. Colón, a former junior middleweight with a 16-0 professional record and 13 knockouts, was regarded as one of boxing's brightest prospects before his career was cut short.

The incident occurred in October 2015 during a fight against American boxer Terrel Williams at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia. Colón suffered a brain bleed after taking repeated blows to the back of his head, known as rabbit punches, during the ninth round. His corner stopped the fight, and he was rushed to the hospital where doctors diagnosed a subdural hematoma that required emergency surgery.

Colón spent 221 days in a coma, never regaining the ability to walk or talk. He relied on years of rehabilitation and family care for the remainder of his life. His injury prompted significant changes in the sport, leading to the World Boxing Council introducing the "Prichard Colón Rule" in 2016, which mandated zero tolerance for blows to the back of the head.

Born in Maitland, Florida, on September 19, 1992, Colón also won gold at the 2010 Pan American Youth Championship as an amateur boxer. His family filed a $50 million lawsuit in 2017 against the ringside doctor and promoters connected to the fight.