The stories of Boxing‘s book of lifenot only talk about glory and triumph. There are also sad and tragicchapters among its pages. One of the most recent of them is Prichard Colon‘s: the Puerto Rican boxer paralyzed after a fight in 2015.
Colon was born in Maryland, Florida, but at the age of 10, he and his family decided to move to Puerto Rico, his parents’ country, where he finished his professional studies at San Juan’s University. Representing the island,Diggetcompeted in the 2010 PanamericanYouth Championship, in which he won the Gold medal.
Prichard Colon turned pro in 2013. He won his first boxing bout with a KO in the opening round. He also triumphed in his 15 following clashes, included one against former WBA World Light welterweight Champion Vivian Harris: an astonishing knockout in the fourth round at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Canada. His mind was set on a World title shot, but destiny had opposing plans for his life.
The fight thatleft boxer Prichard Colonparalyzed
With a 16-0-0 (13 KO’s), the Puerto Rican fighter faced American Terrel Williams on October 17, 2015, at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia, a compromised scheduled in a catchweight between the Welter and the Super welter division. Williams was also an undefeated prospect (14-0-0, 12 KO’s).
The fight was hard for Colon, due to Williams’s frequent rabbit punches that have diminished little by little. On the seventh round, Prichard went down after another blow received in his nape, but he continued in the action. The referee Joe Cooper deducted a point to Terrel Williams in that round.
Prichard complains about on of William’s rabbit punch in the canvas. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
The ninth round was the breaking point of just not Colon’s boxing career, but his whole life. He was knocked down twice. He managed to keep on the fight but his corner took out his gloves in a misunderstanding: they thought the round was over but it was not. He was immediately disqualified.
Prichard Colon was taken to his dressing room but there the collapse started. He felt dizzy, could not remain seated by his won, and threw up. An ambulance took him to the Inova Fairfax Hospital, where he underwent surgery but finally slipped into a coma for more than seven months cause he suffered brain damage from the blows he received during the fight.
The diagnosis for him is an unresponsive wakefulness state, commonly known as a vegetative state. The only action that Colon can do on his own is breathing, he needs assistance for the rest. Nowadays, Prichard Colon is 29 years old and he underwent surgery in 2021 due to brain pressure because of the collapse of his skull. Fortunately, everything went well for the former Puerto Rican boxer.
The current condition of boxer Prichard Colon after suffering brain damage
Currently, Prichardlives his days between his family daily support and the therapy he receives in Florida, thanks to what he is able to now communicate himself with his eyes,move his hands and even stand a little with assistance.
Prichard Colon lives goes on thanks to his family assistance. (Phelan M. Ebenhack/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
