Who was Prichard Colón? Boxer dies at 33 after 2015 brain injury

Puerto Rican boxer Prichard Colón has died at 33, more than a decade after suffering a devastating brain injury

Puerto Rican boxer Prichard Colón has died at the age of 33, more than a decade after suffering a devastating brain injury during the final fight of his professional career.

Colón’s father, Richard Colón, confirmed his son’s death on Aug. 13, 2026, in a Facebook post. He expressed his grief while thanking supporters for years of love and prayers.

Born in Florida on Sept. 19, 1992, and raised in Puerto Rico, Prichard Colón Meléndez was considered one of boxing’s promising young talents. He turned professional in 2013 after a successful amateur career and won his first 16 professional bouts, including 13 by knockout.

His career ended in October 2015 when he faced Terrel Williams at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia. During the bout, Colón was repeatedly struck with illegal punches to the back of the head, commonly known as rabbit punches. He complained of dizziness and pain but was cleared to continue by the ringside doctor.

After the ninth round, Colón’s corner mistakenly removed his gloves, believing the fight had ended. He was subsequently disqualified. In the dressing room, Colón became dizzy, vomited and collapsed before being taken to hospital.

Doctors discovered a large left-sided subdural hematoma, a serious collection of blood between the brain and its outer covering. Colón underwent emergency surgery and remained in a coma for 221 days.

After waking, he continued to experience severe neurological complications and required extensive rehabilitation and around-the-clock care. His recovery became widely known within the boxing community and contributed to discussions about fighter safety.

As of publication, Colón’s family has not publicly disclosed an official cause of death. While he lived with complications from his 2015 injury for more than a decade, the injury has not been confirmed as his cause of death.