Even though the tragedy of Prichard Colón occurred eight years ago, I only recently learned about it through Facebook. Prichard Colón, a professional boxer from Puerto Rico, was an undefeated rising star at 23 with 16 wins before the match that ended his career.
In his final match, he faced Terrell Williams. Colón had the lead through the first five rounds but repeatedly complained to referee Joe Cooper about Williams hitting him with illegal rabbit punches (strikes to the back of the head, which are banned in professional boxing due to the high risk of traumatic head injury).
Despite finishing the match on his feet, Colón’s condition deteriorated rapidly. He began bleeding in his brain, vomited, and collapsed in his dressing room. After emergency surgery, he slipped into a coma for 221 days.
The seven-month coma was a harrowing period for his loved ones. When Colón awoke, he was in a vegetative state, unable to speak or respond, leaving his family clinging to hope for a miracle. His boxing career was abruptly ended, and the likelihood of his returning to the ring is extremely low and would be hazardous.
Colón has sought compensation for his suffering. His impact on the sport extends beyond his record; in 2016, the World Boxing Federation introduced the “Prichard Colón rule” to ensure referees address a boxer’s distress during a match.