Prichard Colon, a 33-year-old former boxer, has died after spending the last 11 years in a wheelchair following a severe injury sustained during a fight, reports infohub.kz.
Colon passed away nearly 11 years after the bout that drastically changed his life. Following the fight on October 17, 2015, the athlete was confined to a wheelchair and lost his ability to speak.
At the time, Colon was 23 years old. A Florida native of Puerto Rican descent, he was considered one of the most promising young boxers. Before turning professional, he became a champion in Puerto Rico, won gold at the Youth Pan American Games, and attempted to qualify for the Olympics.
In professional boxing, Colon progressed rapidly, building a record of 16-0, with only three fights going to the judges' scorecards.
His seventeenth opponent was American Terrel Williams. During the fight, Colon was repeatedly hit on the back of the head and complained to referee Joe Cooper, but the referee largely ignored his protests.
In the ninth round, after a low blow, Colon was hit hard again on the back of the head and fell. He got up and continued fighting, though his condition visibly deteriorated.
After the fight, the athlete lost consciousness. At the hospital, doctors found a major brain hemorrhage. He underwent surgery to relieve intracranial pressure and was placed in a medically induced coma.
Colon woke up after 221 days, but he could no longer speak and had almost no movement. His family cared for him for nearly 11 years, hoping for improvement.
On August 14, news of the former boxer's death was announced. Prichard Colon was 33 years old.