What Happened to Prichard Colon? When Did He Get Hurt?
by Ushapriyanga
Updated Apr 26, 2023
Who is Prichard Colon?
Prichard Colón Meléndez, who was born on September 19, 1992, is a former professional boxer from the United States and Puerto Rico. He was honored as the WBC World Champion and won a gold medal in the 64 kg (141 pounds) category at the 2010 Pan American Youth Championship.
In 2015, after a match with Terrel Williams where he received repeated blows to the back of his head, Colón collapsed in the dressing room and fell into a coma due to brain bleeding. He remained in a vegetative but stable condition for 221 days. Currently, he is awake and his condition is gradually improving.
Born in Maitland, Florida, Prichard Colón's parents are Richard and Nieves Colón, with his mother being a retired waitress. When he was 10, his father made the decision to relocate to Puerto Rico so that Prichard could represent the country in various competitions. His younger sister accompanied him on the move, while his older brother and mother stayed in Florida. The family eventually settled down in the countryside of Orocovis, Puerto Rico.
What Happened to Prichard Colon?
Prichard Colon, an American boxer, had a promising future in the sport until his life took a tragic turn after his fight with Terrell Williams in 2015. Going into the match with a record of 16-0, 13 of which were knockouts, Colon claimed that the punches thrown by Williams were illegal after going down twice in the ninth round. The fight ended in a DQ, and as Colon left the ring, he suffered a "bleed to brain" resulting in irreversible damage that left him paralyzed.
Despite the unlikely chance of him returning to the ring, Colon is determined to improve his condition. In a touching video, he can be seen training with his sister, who is helping him work towards his goal.
Before his tragic injury, Colon was regarded as a rising star in boxing, winning a gold medal at the 2010 Panamerican Youth Championship and being recognized as the honorary WBC World Champion. This heartbreaking event serves as a stark reminder of the brutal nature of boxing and the permanent damage it can inflict, affecting not only the athlete but also those around them.
Will Prichard Colon Ever Recover?
In 2021, Prichard underwent surgery due to increased brain pressure resulting from a skull collapse. He received several medical interventions that were effective, and his current condition seems to be stable. The reason behind Prichard's condition was that Terrel Williams knocked him down with rabbit punches during the 9th round.
In 2012, Prichard, who had been a professional boxer for three years, faced off against Terrel Williams, an American boxer, at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia. Colon, who was still considered an upcoming prospect, was defeated by Williams when he knocked Colon down two times, and Colon's corner mistakenly removed his gloves, thinking it was the final round.
As per Ring TV's description, it was a nasty and ugly fight for both fighters. During the bout, the referee, Joseph Cooper, penalized Colon two points for a low blow, and Williams had a point taken away for rabbit punching.
Prichard Colon Diagnosis
Prichard Colón started vomiting and was taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with brain bleeding. As a result, he went into a coma for 221 days. He received treatment at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Virginia before being transferred to Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Later, he was moved to his mother's home in Orlando, Florida, where he remained in a persistent vegetative state as of April 2017. In 2017, Colón's parents filed a lawsuit seeking damages of more than $50 million from the ringside doctor and promoters, which had not been settled as of 2019.
In a September 2017 interview, Williams expressed his regret for his role in Colón's injury, stating that he prays for him every day and wishes him peace and health.
Williams is now mostly known for his involvement in the fight rather than his career. In July 2018, Colón's mother posted a video of him on Facebook showing him taking physical therapy and responding to verbal commands. She also mentioned that he was learning to communicate through a computer. Colón's mother continues to post videos of his progress on YouTube.
Prichard Colon Fight That Put Him in Coma
Following a fight with Terrel Williams in 2015, Prichard Colón collapsed in the dressing room and remained in a coma for 221 days due to a brain bleed. The repeated blows to the back of his head during the match caused this. He is currently awake and in a vegetative but stable condition, with gradual improvement.
Boxing's book of life doesn't just consist of stories of glory and triumph; it also includes tragic and sad chapters. One of the most recent of these is the story of Prichard Colon, a Puerto Rican boxer who was left paralyzed after a fight in 2015.
Colon was born in Florida, but he moved to Puerto Rico with his family when he was 10 years old. He completed his professional studies at San Juan's University and represented the island in the 2010 Panamerican Youth Championship, where he won the Gold medal.
In 2013, Prichard Colon turned pro and won his first boxing match with a knockout in the opening round. He went on to win 15 more fights, including one against former WBA World Light welterweight Champion Vivian Harris, where he secured an astonishing knockout in the fourth round at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Canada. Colon had his sights set on a World title shot, but fate had different plans for him.
Prichard Colon Referee
The Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation recently released a report investigating the circumstances surrounding the head injury of Puerto Rican boxer Prichard Colon during a fight in Fairfax, Virginia. However, the report's findings were compromised due to a special relationship between the referee and ringside doctor involved in the match and the department.
The report stated that the referee lost control of the fight and didn't call enough fouls, while the ringside doctor allowed Colon to continue even though he admitted to feeling dizzy during a break in the seventh round.
Despite these findings, neither the referee nor the ringside doctor were held accountable due to their status as private vendors contracted by the department. The department's jurisdiction is limited to discipline licensees and terminate or not renew vendor contracts for future shows. A spokesperson for the department admitted that they were pressured into conducting an investigation, but they had no power to punish the referee or ringside doctor.
The fight took place on the undercard of a "PBC on NBC" broadcast and was plagued with fouls from the beginning, including rabbit punches, low blows, and hits to the back of Colon's head.
Prichard Colon Injury
Deontay Wilder, the former boxing champion, made a comeback last Saturday and knocked out Robert Helenius in the first round. During the post-fight press conference, Wilder appeared emotional and acknowledged the significant risks boxers face every time they step into the ring. He referenced the case of Prichard Colon, a boxer who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a 2015 fight due to being repeatedly hit in the back of the head.
Colon had informed the referee of the illegal blows but was ignored, and the fight was not stopped. Wilder seemed to have changed his perspective on boxing after his time away from the ring and no longer glorified causing harm to his opponents.
How is Prichard Colon Today?
After being hit repeatedly in the back of the head during a bout against Terrel Williams in 2015, Prichard Colon fell into a coma for 221 days, leaving his recovery uncertain. However, he has since emerged from the coma and is reportedly in good spirits, though he is still on a long road to recovery.
While he has mostly remained out of the public eye since then, his mother has kept people updated on his condition through her YouTube channel. Despite the lasting effects of his brain injury, Colon's positive attitude is apparent. He was also awarded an honorary WBC Championship.
What Happened to Prichard Colon-FAQs
Prichard Colon is a former boxer who suffered a brain injury during a fight in 2015
Prichard Colon suffered a brain injury during a fight in October 2015. He was repeatedly hit in the back of the head and despite informing the referee, no action was taken.
Prichard Colon fell into a coma after the fight and remained in a coma for 221 days. He eventually emerged from the coma, but his road to recovery was long and difficult.
Following the incident involving Prichard Colon, there have been calls for stricter rules and regulations in boxing to prevent similar incidents from occurring.